- Planning authority
- Bridgend County Borough Council
- Postcodes
- CF34, SA13
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- LDP
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
How it plays out in Maesteg
Any capacity study for a garden in Maesteg starts with the policies in the council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and any design guidance Bridgend County Borough Council has adopted for homes in gardens. Those documents set the tests the scheme will be judged against: character, separation, garden size, parking and access. Some councils also have specific policies on backland or tandem development. We read the current versions for your address and draw the concept options to meet them, which makes a later application far easier to defend.
The next steps, locally
Here’s how feasibility starts in Maesteg. You tell us about the plot, by phone or through the form, and we carry out a free desktop appraisal of access, title plan and planning context. If it looks viable we visit. If you want to go further, we send a written scope and quote for survey, constraints check and capacity study, and nothing starts until you agree.
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.
Worth checking early
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
- Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
- A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
Maesteg: questions to ask
Is my Maesteg garden in a flood zone or conservation area?
Both are public information. Flood zones are shown on the flood maps for planning in Wales, and Bridgend County Borough 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.
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Maesteg?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Bridgend County Borough 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 Maesteg?
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 Bridgend County Borough 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 Maesteg?
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.
Other options in Maesteg
- Sell part of your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Build a new home in your garden
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Corner and side plots
- Build a home for family in your garden