Planning a Garden From Scratch

Step 1 — Know the Planning Consents and Restrictions

Whether you enter town or country, before planning a garden on your own you may want to make an application for planning consents prior to making alterations on the hardlandscape of the garden. In general in case your building is just not listed and you’re simply not in the conservation area you happen to be free to design the garden area as you wish using the following provisos: No wall, trellis or garden fence should exceed 1 metre in height whether it is adjacent towards the road or 2 metres elsewhere in the garden. Should you wish to exceed this height you’ll must submit an application for affordable landscapers perth planning permission in your local district council. While new buildings or extensions of your respective existing building are be subject to planning restrictions and wouldn’t normally be considered a part of planning your Garden Design, you are at liberty to develop the garden shed or even a greenhouse in your garden up to 4 metres high with the ridge or 3 metres on the roof line without planning permission. Swimming pools and tennis courts are usually exempt from planning permission although you may want to get consent for draining a pool. However if your house is listed, then beware. Any alteration to the main building, outbuildings, wall or gates will be needing Listed Building Consent. This includes any structure that is certainly joined on the building such as a pergola.

Planning Hard landscaping in Your Garden Design

There will also be restrictions as towards the disposal of surface water from patios and hard landscaping. This can’t be discharged into a current sewer without consent. Increasingly local councils are demanding the usage of permeable surfaces, particularly in the front of town gardens. Conservation area authorities will also have their own regulations about what forms of materials can be used as hard landscaping. There will also be rules regarding what trees may be taken down and even pruned without permission. Party walls as well as the regulations covering them are also convoluted. You should consult the Party Wall Act 1996 when you need make alterations to the garden wall or concrete fence which stands astride a boundary. In general you need to give two months notice of your intention. However permission is not unreasonably withheld. Make sure you get consent in writing from neighbours prior to changes to your shared boundary wall. All changes of use of classified roads or highways will need planning permission. So the short answer is: before starting designing and planning for a garden consult any local authority about what rules apply and what applications for consent are essential.