Garden plot feasibility and design in Chandler's Ford

If you’re wondering whether your garden in Chandler’s Ford 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.

Eastleigh Borough 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.

Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Eastleigh Borough Council
Postcodes
SO53
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Hampshire

What the council will look at in Chandler's Ford

Daylight is one of the first things Eastleigh Borough Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Chandler’s Ford sits about 39° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.2 m. In late December the noon sun reaches only about 16°, 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.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Chandler's Ford: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 16 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.2 m21 Dec, noon: sun 16°, shadow 17.9 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Chandler's Ford 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 16° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

What happens next in Chandler's Ford

The next step is a free appraisal of your Chandler’s Ford 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.

  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. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
  • Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.

Your questions, answered for Chandler's Ford

Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Chandler's Ford?

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

Can you check the title deeds on my Chandler's Ford 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.

Is my Chandler's Ford 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 Eastleigh Borough 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.

How much does a feasibility study cost in Chandler's Ford?

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 Chandler's Ford

Feasibility and design near Chandler's Ford

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.