Decking in East Cowton

East Cowton has few planning constraints and plenty of garden space, which makes it a good place for a deck. The things to think about are the clay ground, exposure to the wind across open farmland and access. Here's the detail.

Houses in the village

East Cowton shares a Census area (LSOA) with Great Smeaton and the farmland between them. The 2021 Census counted 65% of homes there as detached, 21% semi-detached and 11% terraced, with 3% flats. 81% of households own their home and only 5% have no car or van.

The main street runs through the village, with Golden Acres, Conyers Road, Raby Lane, Wycliffe Road, St Mary's Close, Boynton Road and Dakyn Close off it. The Beeswing Inn and the primary school are near the centre, and the village hall is on Conyers Road.

Older cottages on the main street tend to have long gardens, some running back to fields. Newer homes on the side roads have regular plots with fences, drives and side access.

East Cowton is a quiet village, so we agree working hours that suit you and your neighbours, and keep the noisiest cutting to the middle of the day where we can. Most homes have drives, so materials can be stacked off the road. We agree a spot before delivery and check the route to the back garden. Where a cottage has no side access, we measure any passage or the house itself so boards arrive in lengths that fit.

Ground and drainage

The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows Devensian till, a mix of clay, sand and stones, over sandstone of the Sherwood Sandstone Group. Below the topsoil, till gives posts a firm base. It drains slowly, so flat gardens can stay wet through winter. We set posts in concrete in firm ground, lay a membrane and gravel under the deck and leave gaps around the edge so air can move.

The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows no Flood Zone 2 or 3 within 300 metres of the centre of East Cowton.

Open farmland means gardens on the edge of the village can catch the wind. A slatted screen or hedge on the exposed side makes a deck more comfortable, and we fix screen posts into the deck frame so they stay solid.

Planning rules

planning.data.gov.uk shows no conservation area within about a kilometre of the centre of East Cowton. It lists four listed buildings in that area, all Grade II: the Parish Church of All Saints, The Vicarage, East Cowton War Memorial and a grave slab in St Mary's churchyard.

Under the Planning Portal's national rules, a deck is normally permitted development if it's no more than 30cm above the ground, covers no more than half the garden together with other extensions and outbuildings, and isn't in front of the house. Raised decks above 30cm need planning permission. Listed buildings have no permitted development allowance for decking.

For most homes, a low rear deck needs no application. On newer developments, check whether permitted development rights were removed; North Yorkshire Council's planning records will show it. Our guide to rural and village gardens covers plots that back onto fields.

Deck ideas

On a long cottage garden, a low deck near the house and a second, smaller deck at the end facing the fields give two places to sit at different times of day. Hardwood suits older brick; composite needs less care.

For a newer house, a composite deck level with the patio doors, with a wide step down and a built-in bench, is practical. A pergola adds shade and somewhere to hang lights. See timber decking, composite decking and railings and lighting.

Pricing

We price after a visit. Size, height, board choice, steps, railings, screens, lighting and access all matter. Carrying materials through a cottage takes longer than using a side gate. Our decking costs guide explains each part.

Villages nearby

• Great Smeaton: about 4km east.
• Appleton Wiske: about 8.5km east.
• Brompton: about 9.5km south-east.

North Cowton, South Cowton and Danby Wiske are covered too. See the villages page.

Questions people ask about decking in East Cowton

Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, TS045 and TS054, LSOA Hambleton 003B (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: listed buildings and conservation areas; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.