Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Rickmansworth

If you have a long or wide garden in Rickmansworth and a hunch it could hold a house, turning that hunch into a clear answer takes a few specific pieces of work: a measured survey, a look at the title deeds, a test of the access and a capacity study.

We do all of that, then draw concept options for the plots that pass. We’re a new brand within the S&K Group, and we offer feasibility as a service in its own right as well as the first stage of a build or a sale. Start with a free appraisal of your plot.

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Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Three Rivers District Council
Postcodes
WD3
Noon sun, 21 March
About 38°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.3 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Hertfordshire

Before you decide in Rickmansworth

Pre-application advice from Three Rivers District Council is often the last step of a feasibility study in Rickmansworth, and one of the most useful. Once the survey, constraints check and concept designs are done, we can put the strongest option to a planning officer and ask for a written view on the principle and the details. It isn’t binding, but it shows how the scheme measures up against the council’s Local Plan and what an application would need. Any council fee is set by the council and shown in our written quote.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Rickmansworth: about 38 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 38°, shadow 6.3 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.8 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Rickmansworth on 21 March sits about 38° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.3 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.

How we’d take it forward in Rickmansworth

The next step is a free appraisal of your Rickmansworth 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. 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

  • Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
  • Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.

Your questions, answered for Rickmansworth

How do I know if my garden in Rickmansworth 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 Rickmansworth?

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

How many homes could fit in my garden in Rickmansworth?

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 Three Rivers 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.

Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Rickmansworth?

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.

Other options in Rickmansworth

Feasibility and design near Rickmansworth

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