- Planning authority
- Torbay Council
- Postcodes
- TQ3, TQ4
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 40°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Devon
Before you decide in Paignton
Daylight is one of the first things Torbay Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Paignton sits about 40° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.1 m. In late December the noon sun reaches only about 16°, so winter shadows run roughly three times longer. Plotting both on the measured survey shows where a new home can stand without darkening the gardens and rooms around it.
How we’d take it forward in Paignton
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Paignton costs nothing at the first stage. Send us a few photos and a rough idea of the plot, or call, and we’ll check it from the desk. If it’s not worth pursuing, we’ll say so and explain why. If it is, we’ll set out the next steps and their cost in writing.
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
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
- Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
- Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
Questions about garden plots in Paignton
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Paignton?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Torbay 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.
How do I know if my garden in Paignton is big enough for a house?
Size alone won’t tell you. What matters is whether there is a workable access, enough distance from neighbours’ windows, room for gardens, parking and bins for both homes, and nothing on the title or in policy that rules it out. A feasibility study checks each of those for your plot. The first stage, a free plot appraisal, gives you an early view.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Paignton?
That is what a capacity study answers. It tests options against separation distances from neighbours, garden space for each home, parking, bins and access, as well as the policies Torbay Council applies. For many gardens the answer is one home; larger or combined plots can sometimes take more. We show the options on drawings so you can see why.
Is my Paignton 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 Torbay 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 Paignton
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Sell subject to planning
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Combine gardens with your neighbours