- Planning authority
- Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
- Postcodes
- S60, S61, S65
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.7 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- South Yorkshire
What the council will look at in Rotherham
Daylight is one of the first things Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Rotherham sits about 37° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.7 m. In late December the noon sun reaches only about 13°, so winter shadows run roughly three times longer. Plotting both on the measured survey shows where a new home can stand without darkening the gardens and rooms around it.
How we’d take it forward in Rotherham
From first call to a clear answer, feasibility work in Rotherham follows a simple order: free appraisal, written quote, measured survey, title and constraints check, access and capacity study, concept designs, and pre-application advice from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council where it helps. You get a short report setting out the options, and the choice of what happens next stays with you.
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.
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.
Worth checking early
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
- Title problems such as covenants, ransom strips or missing rights of way can take time and money to resolve.
Rotherham: questions to ask
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Rotherham?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Rotherham Metropolitan 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 do I know if my garden in Rotherham 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.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Rotherham?
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.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Rotherham?
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 Rotherham Metropolitan 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.
Other options in Rotherham
- Garage courts and yards
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Large rear gardens
- Sell subject to planning