A FAMILY has been ordered to demolish their £6,000 garden patio – because it juts out a whopping 16ft over the road below.
Homeowner Jamie Davies, 38, just wanted a bit of privacy for his kids “while they play” as he pitched up the 44-foot patio, which sits atop a giant steel frame.
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But the father has failed to apply for planning permission for the “unacceptable” structure that covers the sloping side of his modern free-standing garden.
Jamie has now lost an application for subsequent planning permission after council planners branded the deck “an overly dominant feature”.
The ruling comes two years after he first applied for retrospective approval for the terrace in Blaina, south Wales, and was refused.
Father Jamie, a sports center manager, insisted the patio at their Tanglewood Drive home was added to “give the kids privacy while they play.”
But planning officer Joanne White hit back at the father, saying his latest application was “not materially different” from the one previously rejected by the planning committee and inspector.
She added that Jamie’s neighbors remain at “a significantly lower level” than his house and patio thanks to a steep lot of land the structure sits on.
And she stressed that there are “other ways” to increase the usable area of the garden.
Ms White slammed the structure as an “unacceptable development” as she said planning permission should be flatly refused.
She added that the pavement is “an overly dominant feature” that has an adverse visual “impact on the street scene.”
Garden patios became popular in the late 1990s – with the makeover show Ground Force credited for the boom.
Retailer B&Q reported sales of the turf alternative increasing from £5,000 in 1997 to a staggering £16m in 2001.
If you want to build in your garden, you will first need to obtain some little-known building permits, but there are also things you can do without an application.
Most cosmetic improvements do not require planning permission, but if you wish to add external windows or if your title deeds contain a planning restriction, you will need council approval.
If you want to throw up a fence you must keep it under 2m, while if you live next to a highway it will be a maximum of 1m.
A Legal Development Certificate is legal confirmation that you have planning permission for your home and garden renovations.
Only more ambitious developments require these – and they’ll set you back around £1,250, including a £600 application fee.
So think about what you’re trying to build, remember the ground rules, and do your best to avoid expensive planning papers.
If you need financial help to improve your home, Citizens Advice recommends a number of top tips.
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