- Planning authority
- Cambridge City Council
- Postcodes
- CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.4 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Cambridgeshire
What the council will look at in Cambridge
Sometimes the best scheme in Cambridge takes in more than one garden. If your plot is short of access or depth, a feasibility study can test a combined layout with the gardens next door, as well as yours alone. We cover Cambridge and nearby places such as Royston, St Ives and Newmarket, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether Cambridge City Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
How we’d take it forward in Cambridge
The next step is a free appraisal of your Cambridge garden. We look at the access, the shape of the plot, the title plan and the main planning constraints, then talk it through with you. Where the plot shows promise, we set out the surveys and design work it needs, with a written price for each stage, and you decide how far to take it.
Free plot appraisal
A desktop look at your plot, access, title plan and the planning picture, plus a conversation about what you want. If it looks viable we visit. There’s no cost and no obligation at this stage.
Scope and written quote
If you want to go further, we set out which surveys and checks your plot needs and what they will cost, in writing. Nothing is commissioned until you have agreed the scope and the price.
Survey and constraints check
A measured survey of the plot and its surroundings, then a check of the title, services, trees, flood risk and heritage designations, so the design starts from facts rather than guesses.
Feasibility report and options
A clear yes, no or maybe, the reasons behind it, and the routes open to you: apply for planning, build, sell or partner. You decide what happens next, with no obligation to use us for it.
Worth checking early
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
- Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
Your questions, answered for Cambridge
Can you check the title deeds on my Cambridge property?
Yes. We obtain the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry and read them for restrictive covenants, rights of way, easements and any mortgage charge. If something needs a legal opinion, we flag it so your solicitor can advise. Title issues are far better found during feasibility than halfway through a planning application or a sale.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Cambridge?
It depends on the plot. A simple garden with a clear drive needs less work than one with protected trees, a flood zone or a complicated title. The first appraisal is free. After that we set out the scope and the price in writing, and you choose whether to go ahead before anything is commissioned.
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Cambridge?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Cambridge City Council’s website sets out its current arrangements, including how to apply, what to send and how long a response usually takes. We can prepare the information and attend any meeting for you. The advice isn’t binding, but it is a useful test before a full application.
Is my Cambridge garden in a flood zone or conservation area?
Both are public information. Flood zones are shown on the flood maps for planning in England, and Cambridge City Council publishes its conservation area boundaries and the listed buildings in its area. We check these as part of the free appraisal, along with Tree Preservation Orders, because each one changes what a scheme needs to show.
Other options in Cambridge
- Build a new home in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Sell subject to planning
- Combine gardens with your neighbours