- Planning authority
- Ceredigion County Council
- Postcodes
- SA43
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.4 m
- Planning plan
- LDP
- County
- Dyfed
Cardigan: light, access and policy
Access is where most garden plots stand or fall, in Cardigan as anywhere. We measure every possible route in, whether a side drive, a gap left by a garage, a back lane or a shared way, and check its width, the sightlines onto the street, and the bin and emergency routes. Plots differ from one street to the next, so there is no standard answer for homes in SA43. If the way in passes over someone else’s land, the title check shows whether a right of way exists, and Ceredigion County Council’s highway advice shows what standard the route must meet.
How we’d take it forward in Cardigan
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Cardigan 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.
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.
Access and capacity study
We test each workable route in and the number, size and position of homes the plot could hold, against separation distances, garden space, parking, bins and daylight for neighbours.
Concept designs and pre-application
Sketch layouts and simple elevations for the strongest options. Where it will help, we take one to the council for pre-application advice before anything is submitted.
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.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
Cardigan: questions to ask
How many homes could fit in my garden in Cardigan?
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 Ceredigion County 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 Cardigan garden in a flood zone or conservation area?
Both are public information. Flood zones are shown on the flood maps for planning in Wales, and Ceredigion County 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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Cardigan?
No. The survey, report and concept designs are yours to use as you choose. You can take the scheme forward with us, through our planning permission or design and build services, or sell or partner on the plot with us, or use another firm. We would rather you made the decision that suits you.
What if my Cardigan garden plot fails the feasibility check?
Then you know before spending money on a planning application, and you know why. Sometimes a smaller scheme, an annexe, or working with the neighbours next door changes the answer, and we will say if so. If nothing does, you keep the survey and the report for the future. You are under no obligation to us either way.
Other options in Cardigan
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Corner and side plots
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Bungalows on large plots
- Sell subject to planning

