External Stairs to garden planning regs If you want to know how your DIY projects could be affected by building and planning regulations, click here to post questions and view answers

[Clare Mellor]

I live on the top 2 floors (maisonette) of a 3 storey split level semi-detached house. I want to build some stairs on the side of the house (into my garden in the space between my house and the next house) so that I have access straight into the garden. The width between the houses is around 5 metres and the part that is mine about 2.5m. I would need to put a new door in and the height from the proposed door to the ground is 5m. I am wondering if anyone knows the answer to the following as I can't find them on the building regs docs.

1. My neighbour lives on the ground floor and her bedroom is on the 1st floor split with my lounge. She has a window that is in the middle of the wall where I want to put the stairs, how close to the window are my stairs allowed to be?

2. what is the minimum width of external stairs I am allowed (the stairs are only for my use to my apartment only).

[collectors]

You would have lots of things to consider before doing this.
Check with the local council to see if planing/building is needed. They can object with just the looks if they wanted.
Not sure on your free holders situation.?
All other flats would have to agree with party wall agreements if fixing to their walls.
Size of the stairs might be down to a fire issue in that they might need a certain width & material.

[Clare Mellor]

Thanks for reply. I have done a lot in research into this. My freeholder lives downstairs and she is my only neighbour, she just wants to see drawings as she can't imagine how it will look. We are going to go to the council with a sketch but we just wanted to know the answers to those questions so that we can finalise our design or a least go to the council prepared.