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Curb Appeal
We've all heard the phrase 'curb appeal' and most property experts are very quick to point out that a well-landscaped garden, both front and back could make a vast difference to the value of a home (as well as it's aesthetic quality). But how many of us have applied it to our own homes? Recent years have seen huge increases in styles and finishes for patios, terraces, drives and pathways. From reproduction concrete paving through to natural slates and sandstone there is a style to suit every home from a modern town house to a country cottage. And decorative features such as circles, octagons, sleepers, edgings and walling can all help to create your perfect patio or terrace.
The phrases 'green' and environmentally friendly' can also easily be incorporated when considering new drives and patios. The Government recognises the problem of climate change and localised flooding and is encouraging both contractors and the public to look at different types of permeable paving. This is laid in a similar way to normal block paving but the sub-base materials are made up of different grades of washed stone and layers of membrane that filter the water and lets it either flow back into the earth or be stored in underground tanks and reused as grey water for garden or car washing. If you need to be more cost conscious, the use of gravels, aggregates and chippings have long been used as both an environmentally and economic way of surfacing a driveway or pathway. Rainwater is allowed to soak directly into the ground eliminating the need for drainage work therefore reducing costs. There are extensive ranges of colours and textures available.
A good contractor will give you the best advice on the most suitable style of paving etc for your project. Check out www.woodbankcontractors.com on our Who Can Help page.
And don't think that hard landscaping means no greenery or wildlife. You can still leave generous borders and grow plants up walls and fences and even grow some through gravel. Gaps under decking can provide small mammals places to hide and forage under and frogs and toads will love the dark and damp. Cracks and crevices in paving, rockeries or walling make excellent homes for insects and larger animals will come to eat them.
A couple of practical points to consider before embarking on your landscape project: - If you are having the whole garden revamped from top to bottom, give some thought to where you may want supplies of water for outside taps or electrical cables for lighting and sheds etc as these may need to be planned in first. You don't want to have to lift a beautiful patio or drive because you forgot about the heating in the greenhouse! And if you are thinking of doing both front and back of your property, leave the front until last. You don't want your lovely new driveway covered in sand, bricks or cement being delivered to the back garden!
Finally, as a certain famous someone always says...'enjoy your garden'!
How has Garden Grabbing affected you?
The Government recently announced changes to the planning system with the intention of reducing the infilling and development of existing back gardens, often referred to in the media as garden grabbing.
For residents and environmental groups the changes have been warmly welcomed and predictably, the House Builders' Federation has called the changes unnecessary. The Government sees itself responding to a clear and present danger that has seen nearly a quarter of new houses built on gardens over the past 10 years.
Whilst it is still early to see the full effect of these changes, one possible fall-out from all of this is added pressure to build on existing Greenfield sites and settlement boundaries. We look forward to hearing your views on the subject.
Working From Home - How to Make Use of Your Garden
When the daily grind gets all too much and you are given the opportunity to work from home, most people would grab it with both hands and feet. With living space at a premium and the loft full of unwanted gifts and furniture that may not even be yours, how else can you meaningfully take up the working from home opportunity? For many of us who are lucky to live in a house with a reasonably sized garden, the answer may lie just there. An office located in the garden works on many levels. Firstly, it quite literally divorces your work life from your home life and being in a "green environment" helps focus the grey cells. Furthermore, if you have been using a bedroom as an office, you can reclaim that space for its rightful purpose and in doing so, makes the home more marketable when it comes to selling. The costs of creating a room with a view quite often equate to less than the stamp duty on an average house sell and a sympathetic and well designed outside room will add value to your property.
Now for the boring bit....if you do consider creating an outside room, it needs to be a space which is comfortable and pleasant to be in. Firstly, make sure that the proposed structure is sited on foundations and not slabs and don't forget the need to run power cables from the house to the outside room. The building must be insulated in order to avoid freezing in winter and overheating in summer and finally remember that outside rooms can be vulnerable to burglary and therefore you will need to fix locks and possibly an alarm system.
Do I Need Planning Permission to Erect Such a Structure?
You do not need planning permission to erect such a structure if:-
- You do not build it forward of the front elevation of the house;
- It is less than 3m high with a flat roof and 4m high for a pitched roof;
- Any part of it that is 2m away or closer is less than 2.5m high;
- The proposal doesn't involve the need to construct a raised platform more than 350mm high;
- It will take up less than 50% of the garden area.
Other restrictions may well apply if for example you live in a Conservation Area or your house is Listed so it is worth checking with the relevant Local Authority.
