- Planning authority
- North Hertfordshire District Council
- Postcodes
- SG6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.4 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Hertfordshire
What shapes a plot in Letchworth Garden City
Sometimes the best scheme in Letchworth Garden City 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 Letchworth Garden City and nearby places such as Hitchin, Stevenage and Biggleswade, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether North Hertfordshire District Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
The next steps, locally
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Letchworth Garden City 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
Questions about garden plots in Letchworth Garden City
How many homes could fit in my garden in Letchworth Garden City?
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 North Hertfordshire 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.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Letchworth Garden City?
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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Letchworth Garden City?
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.
Is my Letchworth Garden City 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 North Hertfordshire 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.
Other options in Letchworth Garden City
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Large rear gardens
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell part of your garden
- Build a home for family in your garden