Can I build decking or a raised patio?
Yes — decking is permitted development if it's no more than 30cm above ground and within the garden-coverage limit. Under the GPDO 2015 (Class A), decking is allowed without planning permission only if no part is more than 0.3m (30cm) above ground, and it doesn't (with all your extensions and outbuildings) cover more than 50% of the garden. It also can't be forward of the principal elevation facing a road. The moment a deck or patio is more than 30cm high, it becomes a "raised platform," which is not permitted development and needs a full planning application — often scrutinised for overlooking neighbours. Building Regulations are generally not engaged for low decks, but think about safe railings and structure on anything raised or attached to the house. In short: yes if low and within the 50% rule; permission needed if raised.
📋 The rules
- Permitted only if no more than 0.3m (30cm) high
- With extensions/outbuildings: max 50% of the garden
- Not forward of the principal (highway) elevation
- Over 30cm = a 'raised platform' — needs permission
- Consider railings and structure on anything raised
🔓 Exceptions
- Designated land: anything over 20m from the house capped at 10m²
- Listed buildings: no decking or raised platform is permitted development
- Even a compliant deck can be objected to on overlooking grounds
⚠️ Penalties & fines
If a planning application is needed for a raised deck, the England householder fee is £548. Build a raised platform without the permission you needed and the council can serve an enforcement notice, requiring you to lower or remove it — a criminal offence to ignore, within the 10-year window — and you may have to submit a retrospective application first. Beware a myth: "decking never needs planning permission" is false — only decks 30cm or lower, within the coverage and siting limits, are permitted development; anything higher is a raised platform needing an application. (Scotland is more generous, allowing decks up to 0.5m in some cases; Wales mirrors the 0.3m/50% rules.) Before building: keep it under 30cm and within the 50% garden rule, or apply for permission if you want it raised — and be mindful of overlooking your neighbours.
📎 Official sources
- Planning Portal — decking: planning permission →
- GPDO 2015 — Schedule 2, Part 1 →
- GOV.UK — permitted development technical guidance →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need planning permission for decking?
Often not, if it's low. Decking is permitted development, needing no planning permission, as long as no part is more than 30 centimetres above the ground, it doesn't take your total garden coverage of extensions and outbuildings over 50%, and it isn't forward of the principal elevation. A higher, raised deck does need planning permission.
What counts as a raised platform?
Any decking, platform or raised patio more than 0.3 metres, or 30 centimetres, above the natural ground level is classed as a raised platform. Raised platforms are excluded from permitted development, so they require a full planning application. This is the key threshold that determines whether your decking needs permission or not.
Can my neighbours object to my decking?
Yes, especially to raised decking. Even decking that would otherwise be permitted can be a problem if it overlooks a neighbour's garden or windows, and a raised platform needing permission will be assessed for its impact on neighbours' privacy. Overlooking is one of the most common grounds for objection and refusal of raised decking.
Does decking need Building Regulations?
Low decking generally doesn't engage Building Regulations. However, you should still ensure it's structurally sound, and consider safe balustrades or railings where there's a drop, particularly on anything raised or where the deck is attached to the house. Structural safety becomes more important the higher or larger the deck is.
How much of my garden can I deck?
Decking, together with any extensions and outbuildings, must not cover more than 50% of the area of land around the original house. This 50% curtilage rule applies across most permitted-development garden projects, so extensive decking can use up the allowance you might want for a shed, garden room or extension.
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