This page covers Hartburn's houses and gardens, the beck and the clay, the village conservation area, and what shapes the cost of a deck.
Houses and gardens in Hartburn
Hartburn ward is overwhelmingly owner-occupied. In the 2021 Census, 90.1% of households owned their home and 54.2% owned it outright. Homes are mostly semi-detached (68.4%), with 26.7% detached and only 4.2% terraced.
The roads either side of Greens Beck, such as Green's Beck Road, Greens Grove, Greens Valley Drive, Laneside Road and Hillcrest Avenue, are lined with semis and detached houses. A group of roads borrow the names of cities from Australia and New Zealand: Dunedin Avenue, Adelaide Grove and Auckland Way.
Where a garden is long, with mature hedges and trees, there's a lot of choice about where a deck goes. Outside the back door is the obvious spot, but it isn't always the sunniest. In a long garden, a second, smaller deck at the far end can catch the evening sun, with a path linking the two. Mature trees bring shade and leaf fall, so we leave enough of a gap between boards for leaves and water to clear, and suggest boards with a grooved or textured surface for grip in autumn.
The beck and the clay
Greens Beck runs through the middle of Hartburn, with Hartburn Beck and Lustrum Beck not far away. The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows land in Flood Zone 2, and a smaller area in Flood Zone 3, within 300 metres of the centre of the area. If your garden backs onto the beck or the green strip beside it, check your postcode on the map before planning.
A deck can sit close to a watercourse if it's built sensibly: an open frame that water can flow under, posts set in concrete below the reach of soft, wet soil, and stainless or coated fixings. We'd also keep any lighting transformer or socket well above the ground.
The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows Devensian till over Sherwood Sandstone here. Till is a stiff clay that drains slowly, so the ground under the deck needs a slight fall, a membrane and a layer of gravel to stop water pooling.
Hartburn Conservation Area and listed buildings
The Hartburn Conservation Area was designated in 1971 and covers the old village street. planning.data.gov.uk lists several listed buildings there, including The Manor House (Grade II*), Hartburn House, The Masham Arms Hotel and rows of houses in Hartburn Village (all Grade II), plus a flax beating stone in front of All Saints' Church.
The national rules on the Planning Portal allow a deck without an application if it's no more than 30cm high and, with other extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden. In a conservation area, decking at the side of a house is not permitted development. Listed buildings don't have the permitted development allowance for decks at all, and work on their curtilage may also need listed building consent. Most of the semis on the surrounding roads sit outside the conservation area, so a low rear deck there usually needs no application.
Designs that suit Hartburn
For a semi with a long garden, we'd suggest a deck about the width of the house, set just below the door threshold, with a broad step down to the lawn. A hardwood or warm-brown composite looks at home next to mature planting. Where a garden falls towards the beck, a two-level deck with steps can turn a slope into usable space without going over the 30cm limit at the top level.
For the older village houses, a low, simple deck in a natural wood tone is usually the most suitable choice, built so it doesn't touch the house walls. See timber decking and raised decking for more detail.
Pricing your deck in Hartburn
We price after a visit. In Hartburn the main factors are the size of the deck, how high it sits, whether there's a slope or a beck-side garden that needs deeper footings, the board you pick and extras such as steps, balustrades and lighting. Long gardens can also mean carrying materials further. Our decking costs guide explains how it all adds up.
Neighbouring areas
- Fairfield: next door to the north-west, mainly semis around Fairfield Road.
- Eaglescliffe: to the south, with its station and Preston Park.
- Norton: across the town centre to the north-east, with its village green and conservation area.
See every place we cover on the areas page.
Questions we get asked about Hartburn
Is a deck in the conservation area always refused?
No. A low, well-designed deck at the back of a house is often acceptable, but side decks need permission and listed buildings need extra care. We'll check your address and advise before you commit.
My garden backs onto Greens Beck. Can I still have a deck?
Usually, yes. Check the flood map for your postcode, then we'll design the frame to sit clear of the ground with deep footings and suitable fixings.
Which boards cope best under trees?
Grooved or textured boards give better grip when leaves fall. Composite won't rot, but it still needs sweeping and an occasional wash. Hardwood weathers to a silver grey if left unoiled.
Can you build a deck at the bottom of the garden?
Yes. A freestanding deck away from the house is a good way to catch late sun. If it's low and the garden coverage rule is met, it's normally permitted development.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, TS045 and TS054, Hartburn ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Hartburn Conservation Area and listed buildings; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.