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

Are you wondering about the minimum safety distances to be respected before starting the construction of your swimming pool? You are right: to avoid any inconvenience with the neighborhood, it is important to respect the legal distances relating to the construction of a swimming pool , written in the Urban Planning Code.

Although all of these articles of law have been defined in the National Urban Planning Plan (PNU) applicable throughout the French territory, the majority of French municipalities have their own Local Urban Planning Plan (PLU piscine) or Land Use Plan (POS).

To avoid making a mistake, it is best to go directly to the town planning department of your municipality. This will allow you to avoid having your building permit application refused...

Zoom in on what you need to know before you start building your pond.

Building a swimming pool: legal distances to respect

1. Swimming pool regulations: distance from neighbors

You have understood: the construction of a swimming pool is not carried out without having defined, beforehand, its location. And if the first reflex is to identify the ideal zone – facing due south, protected from the wind, far from the foliage – to install your swimming pool, it is not necessary to forget the fact that there is legislation concerning the installation distances to be respected: rules of neighborhood, public roads and other special cases (subdivision for example).

According to article R.11.19 of the Urban Planning Code, future pool owners must provide a minimum distance of 3 meters between your neighbor's fence and the edges of our pool. And this, regardless of the nature of your pool: whether it is an above-ground or in-ground pool, the rules are the same for all pools on the property line!

However, before starting work, Aboral recommends that you contact your local town hall. In fact, it is not impossible that your town hall may impose specific restrictions on shared ownership. This is particularly the case if your swimming pool is in a classified area (classified sites, protected areas, protection zones).

If your municipality does not have a PLU or a municipal map , find out about the existence of an RNU (National Urban Planning Regulations) or a POS (Land Use Plan).

Please note, however, that the edges and the pool deck can sometimes be taken into account when calculating the distances for installing the pool: this is particularly the case when they are raised.

2. Swimming pool regulations: public highway

In order to avoid any disturbance or noise pollution , the law also requires that your swimming pool be at least as far away from the public highway. Consequently, article R111-6 of the Urban Planning Code imposes a distance of 40 meters between your swimming pool and the nearest motorway axis, and a distance of 25 meters between your swimming pool and the nearest major road axis (national or departmental).

Please note, however, that these provisions are only valid outside built-up areas. Thus, if a road adopts a regulation of the local urban area (PLU) of the municipality, it will prevail; it is up to you to inquire with your town hall to find out the restrictions in force! 

3. Distance between tree and pool

It's not just the face-to-face with your neighbors, nor the noise pollution that can be disturbing when you're swimming... Indeed, the proximity to vegetation can also be restrictive. Between the insects buzzing and circling around the pool and the deposit of pollen or leaves from the trees, it is preferable to provide a certain distance between your vegetation and the edge of your pool terrace.

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

Finally, when building your pool, don't forget to think about the location of your technical room . Aboral recommends a distance of 10 meters maximum between the room and the pool, so as not to have to invest in a pump that is too powerful!

Don't forget the prior declaration

Have you found out about the town planning regulations in force in your municipality? That's a big step! 

But before building a swimming pool in your garden, you are required to submit a request to your town hall for a prior declaration of works or a building permit for your development project. These documents will allow the town planning department of the municipality in which the plot is located to check compliance with town planning regulations.

Do you have a swimming pool construction project? For any advice or questions on the legal distances to be respected , do not hesitate to get help from our experts. They will be happy to advise you!