- Planning authority
- Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
- Postcodes
- DY4
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.5 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- West Midlands
What shapes a plot in Tipton
Daylight is one of the first things Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council will test on a garden scheme, so we test it first too. At midday on 21 March the sun over Tipton sits about 37° 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.
The next steps, locally
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Tipton 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.
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.
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.
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.
- A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
Tipton: questions to ask
How many homes could fit in my garden in Tipton?
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 Sandwell 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 Tipton?
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.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Tipton?
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.
Is my Tipton garden in a flood zone or conservation area?
Both are public information. Flood zones are shown on the flood maps for planning in England, and Sandwell Metropolitan 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.
Other options in Tipton
- Build a new home in your garden
- Garden plot option agreement
- Large rear gardens
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Garage courts and yards
- Sell subject to planning