Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Seaford

A feasibility study for a Seaford garden plot ends with a straight answer: yes, no or maybe. Yes comes with a scheme that looks capable of planning permission. No comes with the reason. Maybe comes with what would need to change, such as a covenant released or a neighbour’s agreement.

From there you can apply for planning, build on the land, sell it or bring in a partner, or simply leave things as they are. We cover homes in and around Seaford, and the first step, a free plot appraisal, costs nothing and commits you to nothing. You also keep every drawing and report you pay for.

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Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Lewes District Council
Postcodes
BN25
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 shapes a plot in Seaford

Any capacity study for a garden in Seaford starts with the policies in the council’s Local Plan and any design guidance Lewes District 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 Seaford: 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 17.7 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Seaford: around 39° of sun at midday in late March and about 16° at midwinter. It shows why the gap between your house and a new home behind it is about light as well as privacy. Garden assumed to face north.

From first call to decision

From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Seaford 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 Lewes District 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. 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.

  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 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.

Seaford: questions to ask

Can you check the title deeds on my Seaford 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.

Is my Seaford 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 Lewes District 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.

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

Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Lewes District 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 many homes could fit in my garden in Seaford?

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 Lewes District 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.

Other options in Seaford

Feasibility and design near Seaford

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