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Installing an above-ground swimming pool in the garden:what regulations?

Installing an above-ground swimming pool in the garden:what regulations?

Easy to install because it does not require heavy earthworks, the above-ground pool is a good solution to adopt to be able to benefit from a place to cool off in the summer and to offer water games to your children and children. grandchildren, for their greatest pleasure. If this type of swimming pool for individuals adapts to almost all gardens, the above-ground pool needs to be placed on flat ground. Its installation must also meet certain regulations. Explanations.

What is an above-ground swimming pool?

As its name suggests, an above-ground pool differs from a classic private pool in that it is not dug into the ground. It is therefore easier to install in a garden and does not require major masonry work.

This is why above-ground swimming pools are widely acclaimed by individuals wishing to enjoy pleasant cool baths in the summer, but also to offer their children and grandchildren much appreciated moments of relaxation.

Installing an above-ground swimming pool is also much cheaper, given the little work required to be able to enjoy it quickly, which also explains its great success with individuals.

In addition, there is a wide range of above-ground pools, from rigid to inflatable, freestanding, wooden or PVC, through square and round, enough to adapt to all needs and all gardens as long as they have a flat surface to accommodate this type of pool.

What regulations apply to installing an above-ground pool?

Like all categories of swimming pools for private individuals, the installation of an above-ground swimming pool in a garden must comply in particular with the rules of joint ownership and town planning in force. But the regulatory constraints are less severe than for a swimming pool entirely dug into the ground, which indeed requires the mandatory application of a building permit. However, the latter is still mandatory for above-ground pools with a basin of more than 100 m 2 .

In addition to this exception concerning the need to obtain a building permit to install a large above-ground swimming pool in one's garden, the town planning authorizations to be requested for this type of swimming pool depend above all on the duration of their installation in your garden.

For the installation of an above-ground pool three months maximum in the year

Indeed, if you leave your above-ground swimming pool in place in your garden for a maximum of 3 months per year, you do not need to request any authorization from the town hall of your municipality, i.e. no declaration preliminary work (DP) must not be addressed to the services of your town hall.

Note however:this prior declaration is however mandatory if your above-ground swimming pool remains installed around 15 days a year in the event that your home is located in a protected area, within the perimeter of a heritage site, on the outskirts of a historic monument, in a protected area (area located in a historic urban center that is the subject of a safeguard plan), or in a classified site or in the process of being classified (natural area whose preservation is of general interest artistic, historical, scientific, legendary or picturesque).

For the installation of an above-ground pool more than three months a year

If you leave your above-ground swimming pool in place in your garden for more than three months of the year, the regulations that apply in terms of town planning depend on its dimensions.

If your pool is up to 10 m 2 , you do not need to request authorization through a prior declaration of work unless you live in a protected area as defined above.

If the dimensions of the pool of your above-ground pool are between 10 m 2 and 100m 2 , there, a prior declaration of works is necessary. You must then send it by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt, or drop it off directly at your town hall. This process is also possible online via a form available on the website of the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities.

An above-ground swimming pool with a basin of more than 100 m 2 requires, in turn, to apply for a building permit at your town hall by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt or online via this form.

You should also know that if you want to cover your above-ground pool, this enclosure must not exceed 1.80 meters in height if the dimensions of your pool are greater than 10 m 2 .

On the other hand, it should also be borne in mind that these general planning rules may be more restrictive at the local level. Each municipality defines them in its own local urban plan (PLU). This is why it is always recommended to contact the town hall of your municipality before installing an above-ground swimming pool in your garden.

What about security?

The risks of drowning in private pools should not be overlooked, quite the contrary. If swimming pools other than those placed on the ground, inflatable or removable must be equipped with a safety device, which respects certain standards, in order to prevent the risk of drowning, above-ground swimming pools are therefore not concerned. Nevertheless, providing a protective barrier or an audible alarm system, for example, is strongly recommended to prevent and limit access to your swimming pool for children without the presence of adults.