- Nation
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- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 14
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- Preston
Lancashire: the planning picture
Some constraints in Lancashire only show up in public records and title documents. Flood zones, conservation areas, listed buildings, Tree Preservation Orders and public sewers are all mapped, and covenants and rights of way sit on the title register. A feasibility study pulls these together before design starts, so the concept designs avoid them or show how they would be dealt with. On new homes you also need a drainage plan the council will want to see, which can affect where the building sits.
Planning authorities covering Lancashire include Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackpool Council, Burnley Borough Council, Chorley Council, Fylde Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, Lancaster City Council, Pendle Borough Council, Preston City Council, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Rossendale Borough Council, South Ribble Borough Council, West Lancashire Borough Council, Wyre Council.
How it works
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.
Access and capacity study
We test each workable route in and the number, size and position of homes the plot could hold, against separation distances, garden space, parking, bins and daylight for neighbours.
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.
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.
Feasibility and design in towns across Lancashire
- Preston
- Burnley
- Blackburn
- Blackpool
- Morecambe
- Lancaster
- Lytham St Annes
- Skelmersdale
- Leyland
- Accrington
- Chorley
- Darwen
- Thornton-Cleveleys
- Nelson, Lancashire
- Fleetwood
- Ormskirk
- Penwortham
- Rawtenstall
- Colne
- Poulton-le-Fylde
- Heysham
- Haslingden
Questions about feasibility and design in Lancashire
Which councils decide garden schemes in Lancashire?
The local planning authority for your address decides. In this area that includes Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackpool Council, Burnley Borough Council, Chorley Council, Fylde Council and other councils. Each applies the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) alongside its own Local Plan and design guidance, so the tests for a garden scheme can differ from one council to the next. We check the policies that apply to your plot.
How long does feasibility take for a plot in Lancashire?
Often a few weeks, sometimes a couple of months. It depends on surveyor availability, whether title documents or specialist surveys are needed, and how long the council takes to respond if you ask for pre-application advice. Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year.
What constraints usually affect garden plots in Lancashire?
Access is usually the biggest, followed by the distance from neighbours’ windows and the space left for the existing house. Title issues such as covenants and rights of way, public sewers, protected trees, flood risk and heritage designations can also apply. A feasibility study checks each one for your plot rather than relying on general rules.
Do you buy garden plots in Lancashire?
Yes. We buy suitable garden plots across Lancashire directly, with or without planning permission, always subject to survey, title and contract. We also offer sales subject to planning, options, planning promotion and joint ventures. Which route fits depends on your plot, so the starting point is a free, no-obligation appraisal.