What legal distances must be respected when building a swimming pool?

Do you have questions about minimum safety distances before you start
manufacturing
of your pool? You are quite right: to avoid any inconvenience to neighbors, it is important to respect the legal distances relating to the construction of a swimming poolwritten in the Code de l’urbanisme.

While all these articles of law have been defined in the Plan national d’urbanisme (PNU) applicable throughout France, the majority of communes in France have their own Plan local d’urbanisme (PLU piscine) or plan d’occupation des sols (POS).

To avoid making a mistake, it’s best to go directly to your local planning office. This will help you avoid having your request for building permit refused…

Here’s a closer look at what you need to know before building your own pond.

Building a swimming pool: legal distances to be respected

1. Swimming pool regulations: neighbouring distance

As you can see building a swimming pool is not done without first defining its location. And while your first instinct is to identify the ideal area – south-facing, protected from the wind, away from foliage – for your pool, you mustn’t forget that there are laws governing the distances you must respect: rules governing neighborhoods, public roads and other special cases (subdivisions, for example).

According to article R.11.19 of the Code de l’Urbanisme, future owners of ponds must provide for a minimum distance 3 metres between your neighbor’s fence and the edge of our pool. And it doesn’t matter what kind of pool you have: whether it’s an above-ground or in-ground pool, the rules are the same for all of them. swimming pools on property lines!

However, before starting any work, Aboral recommends that you contact your local council for further information. In fact, it’s not impossible for your local council to impose specific restrictions on joint ownership. This is particularly the case if your pool is in classified area (classified sites, protected areas, protected zones).

If your commune has neither a PLU nor a carte commun carte communalefind out whether your commune has a RNU (Règlement national d’urbanisme) or a POS (Plan d’occupation des sols).

Please note, however, that coping and pool deck can sometimes be taken into account when calculating the distance from the pool: this is particularly the case when they are raised.

2. Swimming pool regulations: public roads

To avoid any disturbance or noise pollutionThe law also requires that your pool be set back from the public highway. Consequently, article R111-6 of the French Urban Planning Code requires a 40-meter distance between your pool and the nearest motorway, and a 25-meter distance between your pool and the nearest major road (national or departmental).

Please note, however, that these provisions only apply outside built-up areas. So, if a road adopts the regulations of the local PLU, it’s up to you to check with your town hall to find out what restrictions apply!

3. Distance between tree and pool

It’s not just your neighbors or noise pollution that can be disturbing when you’re swimming… In fact, proximity to vegetation can also be a problem. Between the
insects
buzzing around the pool and the deposit of pollen or leaves from trees, it’s best to leave some distance between your vegetation and the edge of your pool deck.

Ideally, a distance of at least 1.50 metres between the bathing area and the trees is sufficient.

Finally, when building your pool, don’t forget to consider the location of your equipment room. Aboral recommends a maximum distance of 10 metres between the room and the pond, so you don’t have to invest in a pump that’s too powerful!

Don’t forget the preliminary declaration

Have you looked into the planning regulations in force in your commune? A big step forward!

But before you build a swimming pool in your garden, you need to apply to your local council for a declaration préalable de travaux or a building permit for your landscaping project. These documents will enable the town planning department of the commune in which the plot is located to check compliance with town planning regulations.

Are you planning to build a swimming pool? For advice or questions about legal distances to be respectedIf you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask our experts. They’ll be happy to advise you!