Raised platform in garden

[Captain Nemesis]

Am I understanding correctly, that in theory if we take the paving slabs up from the top bit, then we’d be OK?

Grass over it and plant a nice tree in the middle.

Nothing to stop you sitting on your lawn under the shade of your tree if you want.

 

[BlueShoes21]

Thank you.

I’m hoping that there’s some kind of solution, which will mean we don’t need to fully demolish but that will be acceptable to all parties. This would be absolutely fine for us, if possible and not breaching anything.

I wish I knew which neighbour, so we could have a chat and figure out what would work for them too, last thing we ever wanted was to upset anyone! It all happened so fast with the retaining wall issue cropping up when works were underway/acting in good faith to the recommendation from the gardener.

Anyway, really appreciate your suggestion, thank you.

Grass over it and plant a nice tree in the middle.

Nothing to stop you sitting on your lawn under the shade of your tree if you want.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Personally I'd have used the fact that theres a gradient like that to install a water feature. You could have a nice waterfall over that drop....

 

[jacko555]

in a pickle about the fact that what we have isn’t decking.

Erm. Could you not put a deck on it to satisfy the decking aspect? A hastily constructed deck on 2x4 frame sitting on the patio won't go anywhere. You'd need to make a deck walkway / path leading to the stairs, so some point of it is within 30cm of the ground measured adjacent to the house.
Then it could be defined as a deck on sloping ground.

My understanding is anything over 30cm from lowest point of ground needs PP

I thought it was the highest ground, not lowest, next to the building?

https://assets.publishing.service.g...e/830643/190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf

“Height” - references to height (for example, the heights of the eaves on a house
extension) is the height measured from ground level. (Note, ground level is the surface of
the ground immediately adjacent to the building in question, and would not include any
addition laid on top of the ground such as decking. Where ground level is not uniform (for
example if the ground is sloping), then the ground level is the highest part of the surface of
the ground next to the building.)

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Erm. Could you not put a deck on it to satisfy the decking aspect?

Does the material of the raised platform make a difference?

 

[jacko555]

I'm not an expert!

Collins dictionary defined decking as wooden platform.

decking
(dekɪŋoutdoor Decking is wooden boards that are fixed to the ground in a garden or other outdoor area for people to walk on

However, the planning portal says

Putting up decking, or other raised platforms,

So maybe not.

Although, if you need to measure the decking height from ground level immediately adjacent to the building, to satisfy the 300mm stipulation, I don't see how this raised platform qualifies. It's not adjacent, there's a lawn there.

If it was a continuous deck (say made with a wooden deck path to the stairs, then, at the top) you could argue its all one deck.

Perhaps academic anyhow if the OP doesn't want to use it as such, but, a clearly defined deck would qualify.

 

[^woody^]

Long story short, it's a raised platform and it's not higher than the ground next to it, so it's permitted development.

 

[sxturbo]

Blimey there's some bad advice here.

Take Woody's and notch's advice that is correct.

 

[BlueShoes21]

Long story short, it's a raised platform and it's not higher than the ground next to it, so it's permitted development.

Thank you Woody. I’d noticed your comments on other posts and was really hoping you’d reply as your advice previously seemed to have helped lots of others. Massively appreciate you taking the time to reply, thank you.

Next steps I guess are to contact the council to let them know we think it’s PD and take it from there, hopefully by placing some trellis and assuring the neighbours the platform will be used for planters etc will placate matters even further.

Really appreciate it, thanks again.

 

[Bouy]

Thank you Woody. I’d noticed your comments on other posts and was really hoping you’d reply as your advice previously seemed to have helped lots of others. Massively appreciate you taking the time to reply, thank you.

Next steps I guess are to contact the council to let them know we think it’s PD and take it from there, hopefully by placing some trellis and assuring the neighbours the platform will be used for planters etc will placate matters even further.

Really appreciate it, thanks again.

Why not just provide the pictures and let them decide and if it goes against you use Woody's PD card

 

[^woody^]

Camera angles can be deceptive if you are not careful

Tell them you don't have a camera and invite them to view the site in person, then you can demonstrate and confirm things.

However in the first instance, assert with confidence that the work is Permitted Development.

 

[Alastairreid]

hopefully by placing some trellis and assuring the neighbours the platform will be used for planters etc will placate matters even further.

A neighbour who sent you an obnoxious e-mail then reports you to council instead of speaking to you deserves no consideration.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

A neighbour who sent you an obnoxious e-mail then reports you to council instead of speaking to you should be dealt with in a way that de-escalates the situation, not exacerbates it.

1) You dont want a history of "neighbour dispute" if you ever sell

2) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-38598310
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ver-noise-dispute-her-neighbour-10321897.html
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/28/ukcrime1
https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/woman-guilty-battering-her-neighbour-death-after-dispute-over-fence
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...over-hedge-ends-in-fatal-shooting-109027.html

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Jeez, I feel sorry for the neighbours. PD rules suck sometimes for the neighbours. No wonder they got ****ed off.