- Nation
- Wales
- National planning policy
- Planning Policy Wales
- Planning authorities
- 4
- County town
- Carmarthen
Dyfed: the planning picture
Councils across Dyfed tend to look harder at a separate home in a back garden than at an annexe linked to the main house. A separate dwelling has to stand on its own, with its own garden, parking, bins and sprinklers, which every new home in Wales must have. An annexe usually needs less, but the council will want to see that it really will be used with the house, and will normally add a condition to keep it that way. The shape, width and access of your plot usually decide which case is stronger.
Planning authorities covering Dyfed include Carmarthenshire County Council, Ceredigion County Council, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
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 as they apply in Wales 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 Dyfed
- Llanelli
- Ammanford
- Aberystwyth
- Carmarthen
- Haverfordwest
- Milford Haven
- Pembroke Dock
- Burry Port
- Cardigan
- St Davids
Questions about family home in your garden in Dyfed
Is CIL charged on family homes in Dyfed?
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 Dyfed?
National policy in Wales sets the framework through Planning Policy Wales (PPW). Each council then applies its own LDP policies, along with the council’s supplementary planning guidance and Technical Advice Note 12 on design where relevant. The building must also meet the Building Regulations as they apply in Wales, and you need to plan for sprinklers, which every new home in Wales must have. If the home is for an older relative, it is worth designing to a higher access standard from the start.
How long does planning take for an annexe in Dyfed?
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.
How much is a garden plot in Dyfed worth?
It depends on location, size, access, title and, above all, planning. Two similar gardens in the same street can be worth very different amounts if one has easy access and the other doesn’t. We don’t quote figures before we’ve looked at a plot properly; the free appraisal is the way to find out.