- Planning authority
- Royal Borough of Greenwich
- Postcodes
- SE2, SE3, SE7, SE9, SE18
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
Greenwich: light, access and policy
Sometimes the best scheme in Greenwich 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 Greenwich and nearby places such as Lewisham, Bexley and Newham, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether the Royal Borough of Greenwich would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
How we’d take it forward in Greenwich
The next step is a free appraisal of your Greenwich 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.
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.
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.
Worth checking early
- Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
- A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
Your questions, answered for Greenwich
How much does a feasibility study cost in Greenwich?
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.
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Greenwich?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. The Royal Borough of Greenwich’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 do I know if my garden in Greenwich 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.
Is my Greenwich 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 the Royal Borough of Greenwich 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.
Other options in Greenwich
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Build a new home in your garden
- Bungalows on large plots
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell part of your garden
- Planning permission for a garden plot