Loftus homes and yards
People have lived around Loftus since at least the 7th century. Nearby, at Street House, excavations between 2005 and 2007 uncovered the only known Anglo-Saxon royal burial site in north-east England, including a rare bed burial with gold jewellery. The town appears in the Domesday Book, and its old name, Lofthouse, comes from words meaning low houses. In the 19th century ironstone mining brought growth, and the parish now also takes in Carlin How, Easington, Liverton, Liverton Mines and Skinningrove.
The Loftus ward's 2021 Census figures show a town of terraces: 43.7% of homes are terraced, 33.4% semi-detached, 16.4% detached and 4.5% flats. Victorian and Edwardian stone and brick terraces line the High Street and the streets around it, with newer estates on the edges of town.
Terraced houses here usually have small back yards, often enclosed by walls, sometimes on a slope with a step or two up to a back gate. Newer semis and detached houses have larger gardens, again often sloping because of the hilly setting. The typical request is a level, well-drained surface that makes a small or awkward space usable all year.
Loftus sits high, close to the cliffs at Boulby and the edge of the moors, so it gets plenty of wind and rain. Back yards on the older streets are often sheltered by their walls, which makes them good spots for a patio if the drainage is right. On the newer estates, where gardens are more open, owners sometimes want a low wall or raised bed on one side to break the wind. Many of the older yards also have a step or two up or down to a back gate, and we work those levels into the design so the new surface meets the gate and the house at the right heights.
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Clay, slopes and becks
The British Geological Survey shows Loftus on glacial till over the sandstones, siltstones and mudstones of the Saltwick and Cloughton Formations. The till is a stony clay. It holds water, and on a slope it can move water toward the house if levels are wrong.
We set the patio below the damp-proof course with a fall away from the walls, dig out topsoil and soft clay, use a geotextile and build a compacted crushed-stone sub-base. On sloping plots we use steps and retaining walls with drainage behind them, rather than building the patio up high.
Loftus is cut by steep becks running down to the sea, and the Environment Agency maps Flood Zone 3 within 750 metres of the centre along those valleys. Surface water mapping also shows a good number of low points nearby. Gardens near a beck, or at the foot of a slope, need a clear plan for where water goes.
Loftus conservation area
Loftus has a conservation area covering the historic centre and 32 listed buildings and structures, including houses on the High Street, East Crescent and St Hilda's Place, and Abrams Buildings. The Town Hall is one of the most recognisable buildings in the centre.
A patio at ground level behind the house is normally permitted development, even in the conservation area. Front gardens and boundaries are where the rules bite: non-permeable paving over five square metres at the front needs permission, and removing front walls in a conservation area can need consent. If your house is listed, check with the council before changing anything that affects it. We mention anything worth checking when we visit.
What changes the cost
We quote after a visit. In Loftus the main factors are:
- Access. Small terraced yards may have no rear access.
- Slope. Steps and retaining walls on hilly plots.
- Clay. Soft ground replaced with stone.
- Drainage. Especially near becks or at the bottom of a slope.
- Material. Sandstone, slabs or porcelain.
- Clearance. Removing old concrete or flags.
Places next to Loftus
- Brotton patio page: North-west: a hilltop village close to Huntcliffe.
- Skelton patio page: West: a market town with a castle and conservation area.
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea patio page: Further north-west: the Victorian resort.
Pages Loftus owners use: indian sandstone patios, garden paths and steps, patio slabs and paving.
All places we cover: areas page.
Asked about patios in Loftus
Our yard is small and walled. Is it worth paving?
Yes. A level, well-drained surface makes a small yard much more usable. We plan cuts and drainage so it looks neat in a tight space.
Our garden runs down toward a beck. Is that a problem?
It needs care. We keep the patio well back from the bank, set levels carefully and make sure water has somewhere safe to go.
Do I need permission for a patio in the Loftus conservation area?
Usually not for a ground-level patio at the back. Front gardens, front walls and listed buildings need checking.
What stone suits a Loftus terrace?
Buff or grey sandstone suits the older stone and brick terraces. Porcelain works well for newer homes.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, Loftus ward (Nomis); Wikipedia: Loftus, North Yorkshire; Planning Data: conservation areas; Planning Data: listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.