- Planning authority
- Havant Borough Council
- Postcodes
- PO10
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Hampshire
How it plays out in Emsworth
A measured survey is where a family home in Emsworth stops being an idea and becomes a plan. We record boundaries, levels, trees, drains and the windows of your house and the houses next door, then test where the new building can sit. With the spring equinox sun standing near 39° at midday here, a 5 m eaves line throws a noon shadow close to 6.1 m; drawing that onto the survey shows which positions keep light in the main rooms of both homes. Havant Borough Council will expect to see the same evidence with the application.
From first call to decision
Getting started in Emsworth costs nothing. Send us a few photos of your garden and the way in, or simply call, and we’ll look at the plot from the desk and talk through your family’s plans. If there’s a realistic scheme, we arrange a site visit. Survey and design are quoted in writing before you commit, and the build price follows once the design is settled.
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.
Worth checking early
- VAT savings available on a separate dwelling often don’t apply to an annexe; take advice from a tax adviser before choosing.
- A separate home needs its own garden, parking, bins and access, so it needs more land than an annexe.
- An annexe tied by planning condition usually can’t be sold or let separately, which limits flexibility later.
Questions about garden plots in Emsworth
Can I build a separate house in my Emsworth garden for my son or daughter?
Possibly, if the plot can work as a home in its own right. Havant Borough Council will look at access, parking, garden space for both houses, privacy and the character of the street, as it would for any new house. If permission is granted, the plot can be transferred to your child with its own title, with your lender’s consent if the house is mortgaged.
Do I need planning permission for a granny annexe in Emsworth?
Yes, almost always for a detached annexe with its own kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Havant Borough Council will treat it as accommodation linked to your home and will usually add a condition so it can’t be let or sold separately. A garden building used only as a home office or gym is a different matter, but sleeping and cooking take it beyond those allowances.
Can you design a home in Emsworth for a relative who uses a wheelchair?
Yes. The design can include a level approach and threshold, turning space in each room, a wet room, wider doors and worktops at a usable height. Where Havant Borough Council requires a particular access standard through planning, the design meets it; otherwise it’s your choice how far to go. Input from your relative’s occupational therapist is well worth having.
Can I reclaim VAT on a family annexe in Emsworth?
Often not. HMRC’s guidance gives an annexe that can’t be used or sold separately from the main house as an example of work that can’t be zero-rated, and the DIY housebuilders refund scheme asks the same question. A separate dwelling is usually treated differently. Take advice from a tax adviser before you settle the planning route, because the wording of the permission matters.
Other options in Emsworth
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Large rear gardens
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Build a new home in your garden
- Plot feasibility and design