"Hugo Nebula" abuse@localhost wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:27:40 +0100, a certain chimpanzee, "nightjar"
cpb@insert my surname here.me.uk randomly hit the keyboard and
produced:

I would say that a step is something that only has transitory use - in
passing from one level to another. As soon as you can use it for another
purpose, such as putting a chair on it, it becomes a raised platform. In
practice, it will be whatever your local building inspector says it is,
unless and until there is a Court rulling on the matter.

Your local building inspector would rather not be dragged into
commenting on planning matters.

A senior moment. I meant the planning officer.

Whilst the Building Regulations requirements for stairs strictly
speaking don't apply to any change in level of less than 600mm in
dwellings, nevertheless one could use the guidance as, well, guidance.
An exit should have a level landing, clear of any door swinging across
it, at least as wide as the stair leading to or from it, and for
access to the building for disabled people, landings should be 1200mm
as a minimum. So if you had 1500mm wide french doors swinging
outwards, then the 'landing' should be 1500mm plus the width of the
doors out from the building, say 2250mm. You will then want to make
the steps with rises of between 75mm-150mm, and goings of at least
280mm, in order to make them nice and easy for people with limited
mobility, or better still a level approach no steeper than 1:20.

I don't see anything there that would prevent it being classed as a raised
platform under the planning rules. Building it to adapt an entrance for the
use of a disabled person would be a good reason to get planning permission,
although even adapting a property for use by a disabled person is, as my
cousin can attest, no guarantee of permission being granted.

Colin Bignell