Do you need planning permission for a patio?

Back garden patios

A patio in the back garden at ground level is normally permitted development, so you don't need to apply for planning permission. That's true in conservation areas too.

Listed buildings are the exception. Work in the grounds of a listed building may need listed building consent, so check with the council first.

Front gardens and the 5 square metre rule

Paving more than 5 square metres of a front garden needs planning permission, unless the surface lets water through or the rain runs off onto a lawn, border or soakaway within your own garden.

Permeable block paving, gravel, and slabs laid so water drains into planted areas all avoid the need to apply. Solid paving that sends water onto the pavement or into the road drain does not.

Raised patios on sloping gardens

A raised platform more than 30 centimetres above the ground isn't permitted development, so a patio built up that high needs planning permission. On the steep gardens around Keighley, Baildon, Bingley and the Chevin side of Otley, this comes up a lot.

The usual answer is to build in levels, with each terrace close to the ground and steps between. Retaining walls holding back more than about a metre of soil need proper design, so talk that through with the installer.

Drainage and damp

A patio should slope gently away from the house so water runs off rather than pooling against the walls. Where it meets the house, the surface is usually kept at least 150 mm below the damp proof course so rain can't splash above it.

If water already sits on your patio after rain, it's usually because the fall is wrong or the base has sunk. Lifting and relaying the slabs, or adding a drainage channel, often fixes it without starting again.

Stone or porcelain?

Sandstone and Yorkstone suit the stone houses found across Airedale and Wharfedale, and on a conservation-area property matching the local stone is often the better choice. Porcelain is uniform, resists stains and needs little upkeep.

Which council to ask

Keighley, Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire, Baildon and Ilkley come under Bradford Council. Otley is Leeds City Council. Skipton is North Yorkshire Council, or the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority if your home is inside the park.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; check with your council before you build. Updated September 2026.