Dringhouses is a suburb of family houses with a historic main road running through it. Below, we look at the homes, the ground, planning and conservation, design and price.
Homes and plots
Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward is mainly semis and detached houses. The 2021 Census counted 47.8% of homes as semi-detached, 29.9% detached, 10.8% terraced and 9.8% flats. 77.8% of households own their home, 44.4% outright, and 33.9% have two or more cars or vans.
Tadcaster Road is the spine of the area. Behind it are Slingsby Grove, Hunters Way, Royal Chase, The Horseshoe, Cherry Lane, St Helens Road and Middlethorpe Grove, and a group of roads named after rivers: Don Avenue, Swale Avenue and Nidd Grove. Dringhouses Primary School, Dringhouses Library, St Edward the Confessor and the sports and social club are close by, with Mayfield Grove Nature Reserve and the Knavesmire on the edges.
Semis and detached houses here usually have a back lawn with fences or hedges and side access. Where a house has patio doors, or a back door above garden level, a deck at door height is a neat way to step out without a drop.
In the 2021 Census, 49.4% of households in Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward had one car or van and 28.0% had two. Most semis and detached houses here have their own drive, which makes it easy to stack materials off the road, though Tadcaster Road itself is a busy main road with bus stops, so we don't unload there. Deliveries go to the side road or drive instead. At the visit, we measure the side gate and path so boards and joists arrive in lengths that carry straight through to the back garden.
Soil and water
The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows the York Moraine Member, a gravelly, clayey sand left at the edge of the ice sheet, over Triassic Sherwood Sandstone. It's a fairly good base for decking: firm enough to hold posts, with more drainage than heavy clay. We still set posts in concrete and lay a membrane and gravel under the deck.
The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows small areas of Flood Zone 2 and 3 within 300 metres. If your garden is low-lying, check your postcode on the map before planning.
Planning and conservation
The Tadcaster Road Conservation Area covers the main road through Dringhouses; it's one of 34 conservation areas in York listed on planning.data.gov.uk. Goddards, with its gateway, terrace and loggia, is Grade I. Grade II listings nearby include Aldersyde, Moorlyn, the Cross Keys Hotel, the Church of St Edward the Confessor, 52 and 54 Tadcaster Road with the branch library, 64 and 66, 294 and 306 Tadcaster Road, and the Dringhouses pinfold.
Under the national rules on the Planning Portal, 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. Raised decks need planning permission anywhere. In a conservation area, side decks need permission, and listed buildings have no permitted development allowance for decking.
That means a raised deck at door height may need an application if the garden drops away. We'll measure at the visit and tell you. Our conservation areas guide explains how we handle protected homes.
Deck designs
For a semi with patio doors, a deck the width of the house, level with the threshold, with a single wide step to the lawn, keeps everything simple. Where the back door is higher, a slightly raised deck with a painted timber or glass balustrade and steps with lights in the risers works well.
On a larger detached plot, a dining deck by the house and a smaller seating deck at the end of the garden for evening sun use the space well. See composite decking, raised decking and balustrades and lighting.
Price
We price after a visit. Size, height, board choice, steps and guarding, lighting, removing an old patio and any planning drawings all affect the figure. Side access usually makes delivery straightforward. See our decking prices guide.
Neighbouring areas
- South Bank: about 2km north-east, past the Knavesmire.
- Bishopthorpe: about 2km south-east.
- Copmanthorpe: about 3km south-west.
All our areas are on the areas page.
Common questions about decking in Dringhouses
My back door is above the lawn. Do I need permission?
If the deck is more than 30cm above the ground anywhere, yes. We'll measure and advise.
Is my house in the conservation area?
It mainly covers properties along Tadcaster Road. We'll check your address against the boundary.
Is the soil here good for decking?
It's a sandy moraine with some clay, which holds posts well and drains reasonably.
Can a deck replace my patio?
Yes. We can lift the slabs or build over them if they're sound and drain away from the house.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, TS045 and TS054, Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Tadcaster Road Conservation Area and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.