- Planning authority
- Brighton and Hove City Council
- Postcodes
- BN3, BN41
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- East Sussex
How it plays out in Hove
Sometimes the best scheme in Hove 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 Hove and nearby places such as Brighton, Shoreham-by-Sea and Lancing, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether Brighton and Hove City Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
The next steps, locally
The next step is a free appraisal of your Hove 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.
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.
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.
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 feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
- Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
Hove: questions to ask
How do I know if my garden in Hove 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 much does a feasibility study cost in Hove?
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.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Hove?
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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Hove?
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.
Other options in Hove
- Bungalows on large plots
- Large rear gardens
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Build a new home in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots