Backland Development
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Garden plot feasibility and design in Stourbridge

Not every garden in Stourbridge that looks big enough will make a building plot, and not every awkward one is hopeless. What counts is how the plot is reached, what the title says, how close the neighbours’ windows are and what Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council will accept.

We test each of those in turn, then work out how many homes, of what size and height, could sit comfortably on the land. You see the evidence behind every conclusion, from measured distances to the policy wording that applies. The first appraisal is free, and anything beyond it carries a fixed written fee agreed with you in advance.

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Surveyor in a hi-vis vest taking GPS measurements in a long suburban back garden
Planning authority
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
Postcodes
DY8
Noon sun, 21 March
About 38°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.5 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
West Midlands

Stourbridge: light, access and policy

Daylight is one of the first things Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Stourbridge sits about 38° above the horizon, and a typical two-storey eaves line around 5 m high throws a shadow of roughly 6.5 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.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Stourbridge: about 38 degrees on 21 March and 14 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 38°, shadow 6.5 m21 Dec, noon: sun 14°, shadow 19.9 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Stourbridge on 21 March sits about 38° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.5 m. In December the sun is only about 14° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

How we’d take it forward in Stourbridge

The next step is a free appraisal of your Stourbridge 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. 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

  • 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.
  • Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.

Your questions, answered for Stourbridge

What if my Stourbridge 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 do I know if my garden in Stourbridge 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 many homes could fit in my garden in Stourbridge?

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 Dudley 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.

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

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 Stourbridge

Feasibility and design near Stourbridge

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