Here's a guide to decking in Billingham: the homes and gardens near the town centre, the clay and silt underneath, where the conservation areas are and what goes into a price.
Homes and gardens in Billingham
Around the town centre, Billingham is mainly semis and terraces. In the 2021 Census, homes in Billingham Central ward were 41.9% semi-detached, 40.7% terraced, 13.0% purpose-built flats and just 3.6% detached. Tenure is mixed: 53.8% of households own their home, 22.7% rent from a council or housing association and 23.3% rent privately. Almost a third (30.7%) have no car.
The street names come in sets. One group takes its names from hill ranges: Grampian Road, Malvern Road, Pentland Avenue, Mendip Road, Cheviot Crescent, Ochil Terrace and Clee Terrace. Another borrows from abbeys and priories, such as Finchale Avenue, Melrose Avenue and Tintern Avenue, and another from flowers: Verbena Drive, Dahlia Place, Gardenia Way and Geranium Close. Green spaces include John Whitehead Park and Cotswold Park, and Billingham Golf Club is on the edge of the area.
Gardens behind terraces and semis here are often compact, which makes every square metre count. A small deck can turn an awkward, uneven yard or a tired lawn into somewhere to sit, dry underfoot, without much upkeep. On a terrace, it often makes sense to deck most of the yard and keep space for bins and a gate.
Clay and silt under the garden
The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows glaciolacustrine clay and silt, deposited in a glacial lake, over Sherwood Sandstone at the centre of Billingham. Fine clay and silt hold water and can soften when wet, then shrink a little in dry spells.
We deal with that by taking footings down to firm ground and setting posts in concrete, rather than resting the frame on pads at the surface. The ground under the deck is levelled with a slight fall, covered with a weed membrane and gravelled, so rain drains away rather than sitting under the boards. On a small plot we also make sure the deck doesn't stop water reaching a gully or drain.
The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows no land in Flood Zones 2 or 3 within 300 metres of the town centre.
Planning in Billingham
planning.data.gov.uk lists 11 conservation areas in Stockton-on-Tees borough. Three are around Billingham: Billingham Green (1971), Wolviston (1972) and Cowpen Bewley (1977). The town centre streets themselves aren't in one. The best-known listed building nearby is the theatre auditorium, stage and fly-tower at the Billingham Forum (Grade II).
Outside those areas, the Planning Portal's rules usually apply: a deck no more than 30cm above the ground that, together with other extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden is normally permitted development. Inside a conservation area, side decks aren't permitted development. Flats and maisonettes don't have permitted development rights for decking at all.
If you rent from a housing association or a private landlord, you'll need their written permission before any building work. We're happy to provide a drawing and a description for you to send them.
Designs that suit Billingham
On a compact plot, the simplest designs work best: a single level just below the door, boards running away from the house to make the garden look longer, and a step or two at the edge. A built-in storage bench can hide garden tools. Composite is a good fit for small spaces because it needs no staining, and its colour stays consistent. Treated softwood keeps the price down if you're happy to maintain it.
If you have a deck already that's gone soft or slippery, replacing the boards and checking the frame may be all it needs; see decking repairs and replacement. Our composite decking page compares board types.
Pricing your deck in Billingham
Every price follows a visit. Size, height, board, steps and any extras all matter, and so does access: on a terrace, materials may have to come through the house or a back lane. Taking up old slabs or an old deck adds time too. Our decking costs guide explains each part of the quote.
Neighbouring areas
- Norton: to the south-west, with its village green and conservation area.
- Fairfield: across Stockton to the south-west, mainly semis.
- Thornaby: to the south across the Tees, with the Dales Estate and Thornaby Green.
All our areas are listed on the areas page.
Questions we get asked about Billingham
I rent my house. Can I still have a deck?
You'll need written permission from your landlord or housing association first. We can give you a drawing, the board type and the size to help with the request.
Do I need planning permission in Billingham?
Not usually, unless the deck is over 30cm high, covers more than half the garden with other buildings, or you live in a flat. In the Billingham Green, Wolviston and Cowpen Bewley conservation areas, side decks need permission.
Can a deck work in a small terraced yard?
Yes. A low deck can level an uneven yard and make it easier to use. We'll keep access to drains, gates and bins.
How do you stop water sitting under the deck on clay?
We grade the ground with a fall, lay a membrane and gravel, and keep the joists clear of the soil so air can move.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, TS045 and TS054, Billingham Central ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Stockton-on-Tees conservation areas; planning.data.gov.uk: listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.