- Planning authority
- New Forest District Council
- Postcodes
- SO45
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Hampshire
What the council will look at in Hythe
Daylight is one of the first things New Forest District Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Hythe sits about 39° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.1 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.
How we’d take it forward in Hythe
From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Hythe 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 New Forest District 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
Your questions, answered for Hythe
How many homes could fit in my garden in Hythe?
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 New Forest District 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.
What if my Hythe garden plot fails the feasibility check?
Then you know before spending money on a planning application, and you know why. Sometimes a smaller scheme, an annexe, or working with the neighbours next door changes the answer, and we will say if so. If nothing does, you keep the survey and the report for the future. You are under no obligation to us either way.
Can you check the title deeds on my Hythe 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.
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Hythe?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. New Forest 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 Hythe
- Garage courts and yards
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Bungalows on large plots
- Large rear gardens
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden