- Planning authority
- Elmbridge Borough Council
- Postcodes
- KT7, KT8
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Surrey
What shapes a plot in East Molesey
A measured survey is where a family home in East Molesey 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 6.3 m; drawing that onto the survey shows which positions keep light in the main rooms of both homes. Elmbridge Borough Council will expect to see the same evidence with the application.
What happens next in East Molesey
From first call to keys, a family home in East Molesey follows a clear order. Free appraisal and site visit; measured survey and design around the person moving in; a planning application to Elmbridge Borough Council; approval under the Building Regulations and any CIL exemption claimed before work starts; then the build, with you living next door throughout. You receive a written quote after design and survey, and we keep the household updated at each stage.
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.
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.
Worth checking early
- An annexe tied by planning condition usually can’t be sold or let separately, which limits flexibility later.
- VAT savings available on a separate dwelling often don’t apply to an annexe; take advice from a tax adviser before choosing.
- Family plans change: agree ownership, costs and what happens if circumstances change in writing, with a solicitor.
Your questions, answered for East Molesey
Will an annexe in East Molesey put up my council tax?
It might. Annexes can be banded separately, but exemptions exist for annexes lived in by certain dependent relatives, and in some cases a discount applies where family live there or the annexe is used as part of the main home. Who qualifies depends on the relative’s circumstances and how the annexe is used. Elmbridge Borough Council’s council tax team can tell you how the rules apply to your household.
Can you design a home in East Molesey 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 Elmbridge 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.
How long will building work disrupt my home in East Molesey?
A single garden home usually takes several months on site, with the noisiest work, such as groundworks, drainage and heavy deliveries, concentrated near the start. We agree working hours, access and parking with you up front, and with the people next door where it affects them, so your household knows what each week will look like.
Do I need planning permission for a granny annexe in East Molesey?
Yes, almost always for a detached annexe with its own kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Elmbridge 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.
Other options in East Molesey
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Sell subject to planning
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Bungalows on large plots

