Clifton's three challenges for a deck are heavy clay, nearby flood zones and conservation rules. This page explains each, along with the homes, design ideas and price.
Homes and plots
Clifton ward is mostly terraces and semis. The 2021 Census counted 47.7% of homes as terraced, 25.6% semi-detached, 15.2% purpose-built flats and 5.4% detached, with 5.5% in converted or shared houses. Half of households (50.0%) own their home, while 24.4% rent from a social landlord and 24.8% rent privately.
Clifton Green is the centre, with the horse trough on the green, the parish church, Clifton Green Primary School and the Old Grey Mare. Water End, Water Lane, Clifton Dale, Kingsway North and Rawcliffe Lane lead off, and The Avenue, Avenue Road, Avenue Terrace and Compton Street are nearby. St Peter's School, Bootham Junior School, the Burton Stone pub and community centre, and Homestead Park are all close.
Terraces usually have a narrow garden or yard with a back lane. Semis further out have regular lawns. In both, a deck can create a dry, level space on ground that otherwise stays wet.
Parking near the terraces is the opposite of the suburbs. In the 2021 Census, 33.2% of households in Clifton ward had no car or van, and on-street spaces around the green fill quickly. For a mid-terrace with no rear lane, every board, joist and bag of postcrete has to come through the house, so we lay protective sheets in the hallway and plan lengths that turn the corners. Where a back alley exists, we use it instead. Some York streets sit in the council's ResPark zones, so we check its zone map before delivery day to see whether a visitor permit is needed.
Soil and water
The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows clay and silt of the Alne Glaciolacustrine Formation, laid down in a lake at the end of the ice age, over Triassic Sherwood Sandstone. This is heavy, slow-draining ground: lawns stay soggy after rain and the clay can shrink and swell with the seasons. We take footings deeper, set posts in concrete, and lay a membrane and a generous gravel layer under the deck so water can escape.
Bur Dike runs close to Clifton Green, and the River Ouse is under 600 metres away. The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows ten areas of Flood Zone 2 and two of Flood Zone 3 within 300 metres of Clifton Green. Check your postcode on the map. In a flood zone, we'd keep the deck low and open, with no solid skirting, so water can pass underneath and drain away, and use fixings and boards that cope with occasional soaking.
Planning and conservation
planning.data.gov.uk lists the Clifton Conservation Area and the Clifton (Malton Way/Shipton Road) Conservation Area here, with the Central Historic Core nearby; York has 34 conservation areas in all. Listed buildings close to Clifton Green include the John Burrill Homes and their garden wall and gates, Ellison Terrace, 8 to 12 Water End, The White House, 1 to 9 The Avenue, and 21, 23 and 25 Shipton Road with a former coach house (all Grade II).
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. Listed buildings have no permitted development allowance for decking, and flats and maisonettes need permission for any deck.
Our conservation areas guide explains the checks we make for homes like these.
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Deck designs
For a terrace garden on wet clay, a low deck across the width of the house, raised just enough for airflow, gives you a dry floor all year. Boards laid lengthways make a narrow garden feel longer, and a planter at the end softens the view.
On a semi, a deck by the patio doors with a step to the lawn is the simple choice. In a listed or conservation setting, hardwood or a traditional painted timber balustrade looks right. See hardwood decking, composite decking and balustrades and lighting.
Price
We quote after a visit. Size, height, board choice, deeper footings on clay, flood-zone design, access and any consent drawings all affect the price. Our decking prices guide explains what goes into a quote.
Neighbouring areas
- South Bank: about 2.5km south, beyond the city centre.
- Fulford: about 3.5km south-east.
- Haxby: about 5km north.
The areas page lists everywhere we work.
Common questions about decking in Clifton
My lawn is always wet. Will a deck help?
Yes. A raised frame on deep footings, with a gravel base, gives you a dry surface over the clay.
Is my house in a flood zone?
Parts of Clifton are, near Bur Dike and the Ouse. Check the flood map; we'll design accordingly.
Do I need consent in the conservation area?
Not for a low rear deck within the rules, unless the house is listed or a flat. Side decks need permission.
Will clay make the deck move?
Not if footings go deep enough to reach stable ground below the seasonal movement zone.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044 and TS054, Clifton ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Clifton conservation areas and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.