- Planning authority
- Wiltshire Council
- Postcodes
- SN11
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Wiltshire
What the council will look at in Calne
Sometimes the best scheme in Calne takes in more than one garden. If your plot is short of access or depth, a feasibility study can test a combined layout with the gardens next door, as well as yours alone. We cover Calne and nearby places such as Chippenham, Devizes and Melksham, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether Wiltshire Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
What happens next in Calne
Here’s how feasibility starts in Calne. You tell us about the plot, by phone or through the form, and we carry out a free desktop appraisal of access, title plan and planning context. If it looks viable we visit. If you want to go further, we send a written scope and quote for survey, constraints check and capacity study, and nothing starts until you agree.
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.
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.
- Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
Calne: questions to ask
Can I get pre-application advice on a garden plot in Calne?
Usually, yes. Most councils offer pre-application advice, and many charge a fee for it. Wiltshire 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.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Calne?
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.
Is my Calne 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 Wiltshire 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.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Calne?
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 Wiltshire 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 Calne
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Corner and side plots
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Garage courts and yards
- Large rear gardens
- Tandem and landlocked plots