- Planning authority
- Sunderland City Council
- Postcodes
- SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 35°
- Noon sun, 21 December
- About 12°
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Tyne and Wear
The kinds of plot we look at in Sunderland
In Sunderland we look at most kinds of land behind and beside houses. That includes long back gardens, the classic backland plot; wide side gardens and corner plots, which often have their own frontage; garage courts, lock-up blocks and old yards; land with narrow, shared or no access; and bungalows on large plots, which can sometimes take a second home alongside or be replaced with several new ones. Size matters, but access usually matters more, and the free appraisal checks both.
Planning and light in Sunderland
Daylight is one of the first things Sunderland City Council will look at on a garden plot. At midday on 21 March the sun in Sunderland sits about 35° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 metres high throws a shadow of roughly 7.1 m. On 21 December the midday sun is only about 12° up and shadows are far longer. That’s why the gap between the existing house and the new one, and the height of the new roof, matter so much. We test layouts against the council’s Local Plan and any daylight guidance it publishes before anything is submitted.
What we can do in Sunderland
Sell or partner
- Sell part of your garden
- Sell subject to planning
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
Design and build
- Build a new home in your garden
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Plot feasibility and design
By plot type
- Large rear gardens
- Corner and side plots
- Garage courts and yards
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Bungalows on large plots
What happens next
Getting a first view of your plot in Sunderland costs nothing. Send us the address through the form, or give us a call, and we’ll check access, size, title and the planning picture from our desk. If it looks promising, we’ll visit, explain the routes that could work and put the main terms in writing before you’re asked to decide anything.
Questions about garden plots in Sunderland
Can you build a house in my back garden in Sunderland that I keep?
Yes. Our design and build route covers the survey, design, planning application, Building Regulations, construction and handover, while the land and the new home stay yours. You can sell it, let it or use it for family. You’ll get a written quote once the design and survey are done, and any earlier price range is a guide only.
Can I sell part of my garden in Sunderland?
Often, yes, if the plot is big enough, has a workable access and stands a reasonable chance of planning. We buy suitable plots directly, with or without planning, subject to survey, title and contract, or agree a sale that only completes if Sunderland City Council grants permission. If planning is refused on a conditional sale, you keep your land.
What happens if planning is refused for a plot in Sunderland?
If you agreed a sale subject to planning, the contract doesn’t complete and you keep your land. We’ll then look at the reasons Sunderland City Council gave and tell you honestly whether a revised application, an appeal or stopping is the sensible choice. Nothing about your own house changes.
Is there a charge for assessing my plot in Sunderland?
No. The garden plot appraisal is free and carries no obligation. We do a desktop check of access, size, title and the planning picture, talk it through with you and arrange a site visit if it looks viable. You can stop at any point without owing anything.