Decking in Bishopthorpe

Bishopthorpe is a riverside village with a palace at its heart and plenty of family homes around it. Here's how that shapes a deck, from the ground and the river to planning and price.

Homes and plots

Bishopthorpe ward is almost entirely owner-occupied houses. The 2021 Census counted 41.5% of homes as semi-detached, 38.3% detached, 9.5% terraced and just 1.8% flats, plus 8.1% caravans or mobile homes. 85.8% of households own their home, 56.9% outright, and 40.2% have two or more cars or vans.

Main Street, Church Lane, Chantry Lane and Acaster Lane form the old village, with Montague Road, Sim Balk Lane, School Lane, Ferry Lane, Appleton Road and Copmanthorpe Lane leading out. The village hall, the library, the Methodist church, Bishopthorpe Infant School and the Archbishop of York's Church of England Junior School are all close, and the village has its own parish council.

Semis and detached houses here usually have generous back lawns with side access. Older cottages in the centre can have narrower plots with walls. Where a garden is well established, it suits a deck that works with existing trees and borders rather than replacing them.

Most Bishopthorpe households have a car. In the 2021 Census, 48.2% had one car or van, 31.9% had two and 8.3% had three or more, so space on the drive and kerb can be tight around Main Street and the closes off it. At the visit, we work out where timber can be stacked without blocking a neighbour, and whether the side gate takes 4.8m boards or the order needs shorter lengths. Waste goes in bulk bags collected at the end, rather than a skip needing a council permit for the road.

Soil and water

The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows silty sand of the Naburn Sand Member over Triassic Sherwood Sandstone. Silty sand drains better than clay but can be soft when wet, so we dig post holes through to firm ground and set every post in concrete. A membrane and gravel layer under the deck keep weeds down and let water soak away.

The River Ouse is about 700 metres from the village centre, and the Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows six areas of Flood Zone 2 and one of Flood Zone 3 within 300 metres. If your garden is on the river side of the village, check your postcode on the map. In a flood zone, an open frame with deep footings and no solid skirting lets water pass under and drain away.

Planning and conservation

planning.data.gov.uk records the Bishopthorpe Conservation Area as designated on 28 September 1989, with the Middlethorpe Conservation Area nearby; York has 34 conservation areas. Bishopthorpe Palace and Chapel is Grade I, its gatehouse and walls and its stables are Grade II*, and Grade II listings include the folly, sundial and archway in the palace grounds, the Church of St Andrew and the ruined old church of St Andrew, Chestnut Cottage, The Whitehouse, Garth Cottage, Brewsters Cottage and Priory Corner.

The Planning Portal's national rules say a deck is normally permitted development if it's no more than 30cm above the ground and, with other extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden. In a conservation area, side decks need planning permission. At a listed building, there's no permitted development allowance for decking.

For the semis and detached houses outside the conservation area, a low rear deck usually needs no application. Our conservation areas guide covers the rest.

Deck designs

In a mature garden, a hardwood deck set among existing planting, with a gravel edge and a bench, feels like part of the garden rather than an add-on. Near the house, a wider dining deck with a step to the lawn and lights in the riser is practical for family meals.

For a cottage plot in the conservation area, keep the deck low and freestanding, clear of old walls, in a natural timber tone. See hardwood decking, composite decking and balustrades and lighting.

Price

We price each deck after a visit. Size, height, board choice, footings, steps, lighting and access all count; side access on most semis and detached homes keeps things simple. Our decking prices guide explains each part.

Neighbouring areas

• Copmanthorpe: about 3km west.
• Dringhouses: about 2km north-west.
• Fulford: about 2km north-east, across the river.

See every area we cover on the areas page.

Common questions about decking in Bishopthorpe

Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, TS045 and TS054, Bishopthorpe ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Bishopthorpe Conservation Area and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.