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What to know in Devon
Under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), councils weigh the character of an area and the effect on neighbours when deciding whether a home can go in a garden, and the council’s Local Plan usually adds local detail. For a family home in Devon, that means the design has to suit its surroundings as well as the relative moving in. Single-storey buildings, careful window placement and boundary planting often help. Many councils use separation distances of around 21 metres between facing back windows, but your council’s own guide decides.
Planning authorities covering Devon include East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon Council, Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council, West Devon Borough Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We look at your plot, access and the planning picture from the desk, talk through who will live in the new home, and visit if it looks viable. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Annexe or separate home
We set out both routes for your plot, covering what each means for planning, ownership, council tax, CIL and VAT, so you can decide with your family and advisers before design starts.
Survey and design
A measured survey, then a design built around the person moving in: step-free routes, a ground-floor bedroom if needed and privacy for both households. You get a written quote after design and survey.
Planning and approvals
We prepare and submit the planning application and manage it with the council, which makes the decision. Before work starts, approval under the Building Regulations is in place and any CIL exemption has been claimed.
Build and handover
We build while you carry on living next door, with access, deliveries and working hours agreed up front. At handover you get the completion certificate and the paperwork you’ll need for council tax, lenders and any VAT claim.
Family home in your garden in towns across Devon
- Plymouth
- Exeter
- Paignton
- Torquay
- Newton Abbot
- Exmouth
- Barnstaple
- Bideford
- Tiverton
- Brixham
- Teignmouth
- Tavistock
Questions about family home in your garden in Devon
How long does planning take for an annexe in Devon?
Usually a few months from a valid application, though it varies between councils and with how many changes are needed. Applications that draw objections or need extra reports take longer. Pre-application advice adds time at the start but often saves it later by flagging problems before you apply.
Is CIL charged on family homes in Devon?
Some councils charge the Community Infrastructure Levy and some don’t, so it depends where your house is. Where it applies, a self-build exemption and an exemption for residential annexes are available, but they must be claimed before work starts on site, together with a commencement notice. We check the position for your address during the free appraisal.
What rules apply to a family home in Devon?
National policy in England sets the framework through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Each council then applies its own Local Plan policies, along with the council’s design guide or supplementary planning document where relevant. The building must also meet the Building Regulations, and you need to plan for fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). If the home is for an older relative, it is worth designing to a higher access standard from the start.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Devon?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Devon include East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon Council, Plymouth City Council and other councils. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.