- Planning authority
- Mid Sussex District Council
- Postcodes
- RH19
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- West Sussex
What shapes a plot in East Grinstead
A measured survey in East Grinstead records the plot exactly: boundaries, levels, trees, drains, and the positions and heights of neighbouring windows. It is the base for everything else. From it we can plot the shadow a two-storey eaves line would cast, roughly 6.2 m at noon on 21 March when the sun is near 39° here, and the distances between the new home and the houses around it. Mid Sussex District Council will expect the application drawings to be accurate to a survey like this.
What happens next in East Grinstead
The next step is a free appraisal of your East Grinstead 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.
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.
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.
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.
- A feasibility study can end in a no; finding that out early costs far less than a refused application.
Your questions, answered for East Grinstead
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in East Grinstead?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Mid Sussex District 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 East Grinstead 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.
Can you check the title deeds on my East Grinstead 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.
What if my East Grinstead 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.
Other options in East Grinstead
- Large rear gardens
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Garden plot option agreement