- Planning authority
- Salford City Council
- Postcodes
- M44
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.7 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater Manchester
Before you decide in Irlam
Access is where most garden plots stand or fall, in Irlam as anywhere. We measure every possible route in, whether a side drive, a gap left by a garage, a back lane or a shared way, and check its width, the sightlines onto the street, and the bin and emergency routes. Plots differ from one street to the next, so there is no standard answer for homes in M44. If the way in passes over someone else’s land, the title check shows whether a right of way exists, and Salford City Council’s highway advice shows what standard the route must meet.
What happens next in Irlam
Here’s how feasibility starts in Irlam. You tell us about the plot, by phone or through the form, and we carry out a free desktop appraisal of access, title plan and planning context. If it looks viable we visit. If you want to go further, we send a written scope and quote for survey, constraints check and capacity study, and nothing starts until you agree.
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
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
- 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.
Irlam: questions to ask
Is my Irlam 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 Salford City 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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Irlam?
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.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Irlam?
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 Salford 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.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Irlam?
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.
Other options in Irlam
- Sell part of your garden
- Sell subject to planning
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Planning promotion for your garden plot