Garden plot feasibility and design in Eastleigh

The cheapest time to find a problem with a garden plot in Eastleigh is before anyone draws a house on it. Covenants, sewers, protected trees, flood risk and narrow drives all turn up in a proper feasibility check, and most are far easier to deal with when they are known up front.

Our feasibility service covers the survey, title and constraints check, access options and a capacity study, followed by concept designs and pre-application advice from Eastleigh Borough Council where it helps. It all begins with a free first appraisal, and every later stage has a written price that you approve before work starts, so you can stop at any point.

Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Eastleigh Borough Council
Postcodes
SO50
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Hampshire

What shapes a plot in Eastleigh

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 Eastleigh 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 Eastleigh: 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
This section is worked out for the latitude of Eastleigh: around 39° of sun at midday in late March and about 16° at midwinter. It shows why the gap between your house and a new home behind it is about light as well as privacy. Garden assumed to face north.

The next steps, locally

Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Eastleigh costs nothing at the first stage. Send us a few photos and a rough idea of the plot, or call, and we’ll check it from the desk. If it’s not worth pursuing, we’ll say so and explain why. If it is, we’ll set out the next steps and their cost in writing.

  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 feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
  • A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.

Questions about garden plots in Eastleigh

How many homes could fit in my garden in Eastleigh?

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 Eastleigh 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 Eastleigh?

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.

How much does a feasibility study cost in Eastleigh?

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 do I know if my garden in Eastleigh 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.

Other options in Eastleigh

Feasibility and design near Eastleigh

Find out what your garden could become

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