Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Brighton

Not every garden in Brighton that looks big enough will make a building plot, and not every awkward one is hopeless. What counts is how the plot is reached, what the title says, how close the neighbours’ windows are and what Brighton and Hove City Council will accept.

We test each of those in turn, then work out how many homes, of what size and height, could sit comfortably on the land. You see the evidence behind every conclusion, from measured distances to the policy wording that applies. The first appraisal is free, and anything beyond it carries a fixed written fee agreed with you in advance.

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Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Brighton and Hove City Council
Postcodes
BN1, BN2
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.1 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
East Sussex

What the council will look at in Brighton

Any capacity study for a garden in Brighton starts with the policies in the council’s Local Plan and any design guidance Brighton and Hove City Council has adopted for homes in gardens. Those documents set the tests the scheme will be judged against: character, separation, garden size, parking and access. Some councils also have specific policies on backland or tandem development. We read the current versions for your address and draw the concept options to meet them, which makes a later application far easier to defend.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Brighton: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 16 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.1 m21 Dec, noon: sun 16°, shadow 17.8 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Brighton on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.1 m. In December the sun is only about 16° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

The next steps, locally

From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Brighton follows a simple order: free appraisal, written quote, measured survey, title and constraints check, access and capacity study, concept designs, and pre-application advice from Brighton and Hove City Council where it helps. You get a short report setting out the options, and the choice of what happens next stays with you.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.
  • A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.

Brighton: questions to ask

Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Brighton?

Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Brighton and Hove 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.

What if my Brighton 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.

How many homes could fit in my garden in Brighton?

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 Brighton and Hove City 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.

Can you check the title deeds on my Brighton 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.

Other options in Brighton

Feasibility and design near Brighton

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.

Get my free appraisal 0800 088 6248