- Planning authority
- Lichfield District Council
- Postcodes
- WS13, WS14
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.6 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Staffordshire
What shapes a plot in Lichfield
Daylight is one of the first things Lichfield District Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Lichfield sits about 37° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.6 m. In late December the noon sun reaches only about 14°, 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.
The next steps, locally
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Lichfield 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
Lichfield: questions to ask
What if my Lichfield garden plot fails the feasibility check?
Then you know before spending money on a planning application, and you know why. Sometimes a smaller scheme, an annexe, or working with the neighbours next door changes the answer, and we will say if so. If nothing does, you keep the survey and the report for the future. You are under no obligation to us either way.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Lichfield?
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 Lichfield 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.
Can you check the title deeds on my Lichfield property?
Yes. We obtain the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry and read them for restrictive covenants, rights of way, easements and any mortgage charge. If something needs a legal opinion, we flag it so your solicitor can advise. Title issues are far better found during feasibility than halfway through a planning application or a sale.
How do I know if my garden in Lichfield 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.
Other options in Lichfield
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Large rear gardens
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Sell part of your garden
- Corner and side plots