- Planning authority
- Braintree District Council
- Postcodes
- CM7, CM77
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.4 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Essex
How it plays out in Braintree
A measured survey in Braintree records the plot exactly: boundaries, levels, trees, drains, and the positions and heights of neighbouring windows. It is the base for everything else. From it we can plot the shadow a two-storey eaves line would cast, roughly 6.4 m at noon on 21 March when the sun is near 38° here, and the distances between the new home and the houses around it. Braintree District Council will expect the application drawings to be accurate to a survey like this.
From first call to decision
From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Braintree 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 Braintree District Council where it helps. You get a short report setting out the options, and the choice of what happens next stays with you.
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.
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.
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
- Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
- 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.
Questions about garden plots in Braintree
Is my Braintree 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 Braintree 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 Braintree?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Braintree 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.
What if my Braintree 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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Braintree?
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 Braintree
- Garage courts and yards
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden