- Planning authority
- Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
- Postcodes
- NP23
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- LDP
- County
- Gwent
What the council will look at in Ebbw Vale
Daylight is one of the first things Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Ebbw Vale sits about 38° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.3 m. In late December the noon sun reaches only about 15°, so winter shadows run roughly three times longer. Plotting both on the measured survey shows where a new home can stand without darkening the gardens and rooms around it.
The next steps, locally
From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Ebbw Vale 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 Blaenau Gwent County Borough 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.
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.
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.
Worth checking early
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
- 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.
Questions about garden plots in Ebbw Vale
How do I know if my garden in Ebbw Vale 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 Ebbw Vale?
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 Ebbw Vale?
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 Blaenau Gwent County Borough 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.
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Ebbw Vale?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Blaenau Gwent County Borough 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.
Other options in Ebbw Vale
- Build a new home in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots
- Bungalows on large plots
- Planning permission for a garden plot