Here's what matters for a deck in Marske-by-the-Sea: the type of house, the clay and the wind, the conservation area and what drives the price.
The homes
St Germain's ward, which covers the centre of Marske, is a place of semis. In the 2021 Census, 67.0% of homes were semi-detached, 14.5% detached, 10.6% terraced and 5.9% flats. Three in four households (75.3%) own their home, and almost half (49.5%) own it outright, with no mortgage.
The old village runs along the High Street, with The Wynd, Church Street, East Street and Chapel Street close by, and Spain Hill and St Germain's Lane heading towards the sea. Valley Gardens, Marske Library, St Mark's Church, Winkies Castle museum and Errington and Westgarth primary schools are all in the centre, and the village has two railway stations, Marske and Longbeck. The ruins of St Germain's are also close by.
A typical semi in Marske has a lawn at the back, a side path and a fence, and sometimes an older patio outside the back door. That makes a deck a simple upgrade: it can sit over or beside the old patio, square up a sloping garden or make a level place to sit out of the wind. Older cottages on the High Street usually have narrower plots, sometimes with walls on both sides.
Clay and coast
The British Geological Survey's 1:50,000 map shows till, a stiff glacial clay with stones in it, over the Jurassic Redcar Mudstone Formation. Till holds water, so a lawn can stay wet after rain and the ground can move slightly as it wets and dries. We set posts below the soft topsoil in concrete, keep the frame raised for airflow and lay a weed membrane with gravel under the deck so water can drain away.
The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning shows no Flood Zone 2 or 3 within 300 metres of the centre of the village, so river flooding isn't a usual concern here.
Wind and salt are. Gardens nearer the sea get the most, but the breeze reaches well inland. We use stainless steel screws and brackets, and fix balustrades and screens to posts set firmly into the frame, not just bolted to the surface. Low decks are less exposed than raised ones, and a slatted screen breaks the wind better than a solid panel.
Planning in Marske
planning.data.gov.uk records the Marske-by-the-Sea Conservation Area as designated on 28 July 1976. Listed buildings in and around it include several houses on the High Street, among them 48, 53, 62 and 64, and 158 and 162, plus 2 Church Street, Cliff House, The Ship Inn and the K6 telephone kiosk beside the inn's garage (all Grade II).
Under the national rules on the Planning Portal, a deck is normally permitted development if it's no more than 30cm high and, with any other extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than half the garden. In a conservation area, a deck to the side of the house needs planning permission. Listed buildings get no permitted development allowance for decking, and listed building consent can be needed too.
Most of the semis inland are outside the conservation area, so a low rear deck usually needs no application. Raised decks above 30cm need planning permission anywhere.
Deck ideas for Marske
On a semi with a long lawn, a deck across the back of the house, about three to four metres deep, gives room for a table and chairs without losing the grass. If the garden slopes away, a slightly raised deck with one or two wide steps makes a level terrace. A corner screen with planting softens the wind.
Composite boards suit the coast because they shrug off salt and don't need oiling. If you prefer real wood, a durable hardwood or treated softwood with stainless fixings works well. Lighting set into the steps is useful on dark winter evenings. See composite decking, timber decking and raised decking.
Budget
We price each job after a visit. Size, height, boards, any screens or balustrades, steps, lighting and whether an old patio needs removing all make a difference. Side access is usually easy on a semi, which helps. Our decking costs guide explains how a quote is put together.
Around Marske
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea: just east along the coast.
- New Marske: inland to the south-west, up the hill.
- Coatham: west along the coast, at the end of Redcar's seafront.
See all the places we cover on the areas page.
FAQs about decking in Marske-by-the-Sea
Can a deck go over my old patio?
Often, if the slabs are firm and drain away from the house. If they've sunk or hold water, we lift some first.
Does clay soil cause problems for decks?
Only if the posts are shallow. We take them down below the soft ground and set them in concrete.
How do you deal with the wind?
Stainless fixings, strong posts for any screens, slatted panels and a low, well-tied frame.
Is my house in the conservation area?
Only the older part of Marske is. We'll check your address against the boundary before we design.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044 and TS054, St Germain's ward (Nomis); planning.data.gov.uk: Marske-by-the-Sea Conservation Area and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer 1:50,000; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning; OpenStreetMap; Planning Portal: decking.