- Planning authority
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
- Postcodes
- SK7
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.7 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater Manchester
Hazel Grove: light, access and policy
Overshadowing is a common objection to garden homes, so we answer it with numbers. At noon on 21 March the sun over Hazel Grove is about 37° above the horizon, and the shadow from a 5 m eaves line reaches about 6.7 m; on 21 December the sun rises to only about 13°.
Using those angles, we model shadows across neighbouring gardens and windows and adjust the height, position or roof shape of the new home until the effect is acceptable. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council can then judge the scheme on evidence rather than impressions.
The next steps, locally
After the free appraisal of your Hazel Grove plot, work begins with a measured survey and any specialist reports. We then design the layout, test it against local guidance, prepare the drawings and statements, and, if worthwhile, seek pre-application advice. Once you’ve approved the scheme, we submit the application and manage it through to a decision.
Free plot appraisal
We review the title plan, access, constraints, policy and planning history around your address, then talk it through with you. If the plot looks viable we visit, and tell you plainly whether an application is worth making.
Surveys and design
A measured survey comes first, followed by the specialist surveys the plot needs, such as trees or ecology. The layout is designed around access, privacy, daylight, parking, bins and garden space for both homes.
Submit and manage
We complete the forms, ownership certificate, drawings and statements, pay the fee on your behalf and submit. During consultation we answer officers’ questions, respond to consultees and agree amendments where they help.
Decision and next steps
If permission is granted, we explain every condition and what must happen before work starts. If it’s refused, we review the reasons with you and set out the options: amend and resubmit, appeal, or stop.
Worth checking early
- Planning is the council’s decision; even a well-prepared application can be refused, and the costs of preparing it aren’t recovered.
- Conditions can add cost and work before building starts, such as approved drainage details, tree protection or a construction management plan.
- Permission doesn’t override private rights: covenants, ransom strips, sewer easements and party wall matters still need dealing with separately.
Questions about garden plots in Hazel Grove
Who decides planning applications for garden plots in Hazel Grove?
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council decides applications for addresses in Hazel Grove. Small applications are usually decided by planning officers under delegated powers, and national and council rules set out when one can go to the planning committee instead. The decision is based on the council’s Local Plan, national policy and other material considerations, including neighbours’ and consultees’ comments.
How long will my Hazel Grove garden plot application take?
The statutory period for a minor application, such as one or a few new homes, is 8 weeks from validation, in both England and Wales. Many take longer, and the council may ask you to agree an extension in writing. If no decision is made in time and no extension is agreed, you can appeal for non-determination.
Is pre-application advice available in Hazel Grove?
Most planning authorities, including Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, offer pre-application advice, usually for a fee, with their own response times. It isn’t compulsory and doesn’t bind the final decision, but for a garden plot with a tight access, strict policy or an earlier refusal, it can show which issues to resolve before you apply formally.
Can I sell my Hazel Grove garden plot once it has planning permission?
Yes. Planning permission stays with the land, so the plot can be sold with it and the buyer can build the approved scheme, subject to any conditions. The plot will need its own title through a transfer of part at HM Land Registry, and any mortgage lender will need to release it. Take advice from a tax adviser before selling.
Other options in Hazel Grove
- Build a new home in your garden
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden
- Garage courts and yards
- Combine gardens with your neighbours