Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Alton

If you’re wondering whether your garden in Alton could take a new home, a feasibility study is the honest way to find out. It checks access, title, planning constraints and space, then shows what could realistically fit, before you commit to the cost of a planning application.

East Hampshire District Council makes the planning decision, so our work is built around the policies and design guidance it applies to homes in gardens. The first stage is a free plot appraisal, carried out from the desk and followed by a visit if the plot shows promise. Anything more detailed comes with a written price, and you decide whether to go ahead.

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Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
East Hampshire District Council
Postcodes
GU34
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Hampshire

Alton: light, access and policy

Sometimes the best scheme in Alton 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 Alton and nearby places such as Bordon, Basingstoke and Fleet, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether East Hampshire District Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Alton: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.2 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.1 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Alton on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.2 m. In December the sun is only about 15° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

From first call to decision

From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Alton 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 East Hampshire 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. 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.

  3. 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.

  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 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.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.

Questions about garden plots in Alton

Is my Alton 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 East Hampshire 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 you check the title deeds on my Alton 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.

Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Alton?

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.

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

Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. East Hampshire 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.

Other options in Alton

Feasibility and design near Alton

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