Planning a balcony
Romeo, Romeo! Is this balcony legal Romeo?
If you'd like to have a juliet balcony or balustrade system installed at your property there are a few considerations to make regarding planning permission and building regulations before construction should start. As with most planning and development. this topic can be a confusing one so here is what you need to know.
Planning Permission
Do i require planning permission for my juliet balcony? What about installing a balustrade? These are questions we get asked frequently at DioMet however it is not one we can answer with any authority. The only way to be sure is to contact your local building authority for clarification as each individual office can have it's own interpretation and particular rules to adhere to. A consideration often made is whether or not your balcony or balustrade system would pose any privacy issue for your neighbours.
Generally speaking however, most juliet balcony and balustrade systems would require planning permission. Always check with the relevant authority if unsure.
Building Regulations
Another potentially grey area but with some basic standard principles. Building regulations are ultimately in place to ensure the safety of the intended use of each individual aspect. In relation to a balcony or balustrade Part K of the building regulations will apply. The regulations only generally apply where the balustrade system guards a fall in height over 600mm and to be compliant the system should be of the correct height (min 1100mm for external applications) and have no gaps greater than 100mm in the design (so that a 100mm sphere cannot pass through).
Both balcony and balustrade systems alike would also need to conform to the specific loadings set out in Part K- the loading capacity of the system would need to be different for a domestic or commercial project accordingly.
As of July 2014 new regulations required that all structural elements of a build (such as a juliet balcony or balustrade) are required to be CE marked under the scope of BS EN 1090-1. Any juliet balcony not manufactured to these standards, by a CE marked company is not legal and could be condemned.
Contact a professional, reputable company such as DioMet for assistance with your balcony requirements.
Further Reading :
Choosing a glass balustrade supplier
Cafe balustrade with seating area
Staircase and landing balustrades
Handrail and balustrade component parts
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