- Planning authority
- London Borough of Bromley
- Postcodes
- BR1, BR2, BR4, BR5, BR6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
Bromley: light, access and policy
Daylight is one of the first things the London Borough of Bromley will check on a garden house. At midday on 21 March the sun in Bromley stands roughly 39° above the horizon, so an eaves line about 5 m high casts a shadow of around 6.3 m. On 21 December the sun is only about 15° up and shadows stretch far longer.
That’s why the gap between your house and the new one, and the height of the new roof, are set by measurement rather than guesswork. A lower eaves line, a hipped roof or a single-storey section can make a real difference to the gardens either side.
From first call to decision
If your Bromley plot already has planning permission, we begin by checking the approved drawings and conditions against the site. Some permissions need detailed design, discharge of conditions or a minor amendment before they can be built. We then prepare the technical drawings, arrange Building Regulations approval and the warranty, apply for utility connections and give you a written quote to build.
Free plot appraisal
We check the title plan, access, constraints and planning policy from our desk, talk the plot through with you, and visit if it looks viable. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Planning and approvals
We submit the planning application and manage it to a decision, then deal with conditions, Building Regulations approval, the structural warranty, any build-over agreement and the new utility connections.
Written quote and build
Once design and survey are complete you get a written quote. The build runs in stages — access and groundworks, foundations, frame and roof, fit-out and external works — with inspections at each key point.
Handover
You receive the completion certificate, warranty documents, Energy Performance Certificate, manuals and utility details, so the new home is ready to move into, let or put on the market.
Worth checking early
- You fund the build and carry the cost risk; ground conditions, sewer diversions or supply upgrades found later can move the price.
- A build next door means months of noise, deliveries and contractors near your home; good planning reduces the disruption but doesn’t remove it.
- Building and selling a new home can change your tax position compared with selling only your house; take advice from a tax adviser first.
Bromley: questions to ask
How close can a new house be to my own in Bromley?
There’s no single national distance. Many councils use separation guides of around 21 metres between facing back windows and around 12 to 15 metres between a back window and a blank side wall, but the guidance used by the London Borough of Bromley decides. Window positions, ground levels, roof shape and screening all affect what is acceptable, which is why we survey before we design.
Who decides planning for a garden house in Bromley?
The London Borough of Bromley decides applications for addresses in Bromley, using the council’s Local Plan, national policy and its own design guidance. Neighbours and consultees such as highways officers can comment, and the decision is made by the council’s planning officers or, where the rules allow, its planning committee. Pre-application advice from the council can help test a scheme before the formal application is submitted.
Can the new home in my Bromley garden connect to the main sewer?
Usually, yes, but the route and depth decide how easily. The new home needs its own foul connection, agreed with the water company, and gravity drainage is simplest where the sewer sits lower than the new floor. If it doesn’t, a pumped connection may be needed. Where a public sewer runs under your garden, a build-over agreement or diversion may also be required.
How long does planning take for a new home in a Bromley garden?
The statutory period for deciding a minor application, such as a single new home, is 8 weeks from the date the council receives a valid application, in both England and Wales. In practice many applications take longer, and the council may ask you to agree an extension in writing. Surveys and design before submission add time, and conditions may need approving afterwards.
Other options in Bromley
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Large rear gardens
- Garage courts and yards
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Bungalows on large plots
- Combine gardens with your neighbours