Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Hitchin

If you’re wondering whether your garden in Hitchin 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.

North Hertfordshire 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
North Hertfordshire District Council
Postcodes
SG4, SG5
Noon sun, 21 March
About 38°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.4 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Hertfordshire

Before you decide in Hitchin

A measured survey in Hitchin records the plot exactly: boundaries, levels, trees, drains, and the positions and heights of neighbouring windows. It is the base for everything else. From it we can plot the shadow a two-storey eaves line would cast, roughly 6.4 m at noon on 21 March when the sun is near 38° here, and the distances between the new home and the houses around it. North Hertfordshire District Council will expect the application drawings to be accurate to a survey like this.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Hitchin: about 38 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 38°, shadow 6.4 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 19.2 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Hitchin on 21 March sits about 38° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.4 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.

The next steps, locally

Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Hitchin 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. 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

  • Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
  • A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
  • A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.

Hitchin: questions to ask

What if my Hitchin 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.

How do I know if my garden in Hitchin 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.

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

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

Can you check the title deeds on my Hitchin 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.

Other options in Hitchin

Feasibility and design near Hitchin

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