Raised deck project

[paulw123]

just read through the thread, fantastic job. any finished pics?

[Andehh]

Yep, Another request for finished pics and how it's all looking now!

[MrJuice]

Apologies for thread resurrection but this thread kind of illustrates my issue. I want to have step free access from the back of my house on to a terrace. Architect's son says that terrace cannot be more than 300mm above ground level. I agree, but that's without planning permission.

Can this sort of stuff just be tagged on to planing applications when we submit for our extension?

I also want to build a garden room with a toilet. It'll be used as a home office. There won't be any access to it for me to rent it and renting is not my intention at all (honest!). Architect's son says drainage not allowed from a garden building. I can't see why not? The room will be used as an office during the day and will be empty at night. No one will sleep in it. There won't be a shower. Having a toilet means I don't have to come back to the house to go for a wee which saves me time and hassle (when it is dark, wet etc). Thoughts?

[MrJuice]

Anyone?

[quinny100]

MrJuice said:

Apologies for thread resurrection but this thread kind of illustrates my issue. I want to have step free access from the back of my house on to a terrace. Architect's son says that terrace cannot be more than 300mm above ground level. I agree, but that's without planning permission.

Can this sort of stuff just be tagged on to planing applications when we submit for our extension?

I also want to build a garden room with a toilet. It'll be used as a home office. There won't be any access to it for me to rent it and renting is not my intention at all (honest!). Architect's son says drainage not allowed from a garden building. I can't see why not? The room will be used as an office during the day and will be empty at night. No one will sleep in it. There won't be a shower. Having a toilet means I don't have to come back to the house to go for a wee which saves me time and hassle (when it is dark, wet etc). Thoughts?

You can apply for whatever you want on a single householder application. Planners don't like raised decks in general and would probably only approve it if there were no overlooking issues.

I'm not aware of any planning restrictions on garden buildings having drainage fitted. Can you not do the garden building under Permitted Development? The only issue with fitting a toilet is it might bring the building into the scope of the Building Regulations where otherwise it would be exempt.

[MrJuice]

I could do garden Room under PD but architect's son seems to think toilets in garden rooms are not allowed under PD. Not sure what the rules are

I think the garden Room suppliers will know for certain. I'll contact a few and report back

[Equus]

MrJuice said:

I could do garden Room under PD but architect's son seems to think toilets in garden rooms are not allowed under PD. Not sure what the rules are

I think the garden Room suppliers will know for certain. I'll contact a few and report back

Put as simply as possible: the main use of the building must be incidental, not ancillary to that of the main dwelling... but that ancillary uses are permissable as PD if they are themselves subordinate and ancillary to an incidental use.

Hence, as an example, sanitary facilities are considered to be primary accommodation (a house cannot function without them), hence sanitary facilities will normally be considered 'ancillary' ('providing necessary support' to the primary function of the dwelling).

BUT... a gym (for example) is an incidental use - it's not necessary for the primary function of the dwelling, but it's a reasonable activity to take place 'incidental to the enjoyment' of the dwelling, so that's OK.

AND... a shower/toilet facility is a reasonable thing to have as a subordinate facility attached to a gym, therefore they would be acceptable as PD in conjunction with and subordinate to the gym.


ETA:

So, in your case, if the outbuilding is used as a home office and only as a home office, then the addition of a toilet is probably reasonable. If you were to use it for sleeping accommodation, or even perhaps just as a sitting room, then it would need PP.

However, the GPDO also specifically prohibits the construction or provision of a 'verandah, balcony or raised platform' as part of any outbuilding, and it is open to interpretation whether the 300mm. height exemption applies to such situations, so if you're going down the PD route it would be wise to seek a Certificate of Lawfulness before proceeding with the work.

Edited by Equus on Friday 25th June 15:21

[MrJuice]

Thanks Equus

The terrace area will be outside the back of my house. The outbuilding will be 20m+ away. No plans for a verandah there but only because they're not allowed. Verandah would be awesome