- Planning authority
- North Northamptonshire Council
- Postcodes
- NN15, NN16
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.5 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Northamptonshire
The local picture in Kettering
Overshadowing is a common objection to garden homes, so we answer it with numbers. At noon on 21 March the sun over Kettering is about 38° above the horizon, and the shadow from a 5 m eaves line reaches about 6.5 m; on 21 December the sun rises to only about 14°.
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. North Northamptonshire Council can then judge the scheme on evidence rather than impressions.
What happens next in Kettering
If you already have outline permission or a full permission with conditions for a plot in Kettering, we can take it from there. We check what still needs approval, prepare reserved matters or condition details, and submit them. Then you can move on to the build with us, sell the plot, or hold it while you decide.
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.
Pre-application advice
Where policy is tight or the plot unusual, we put a draft scheme to the council’s planners first. Their written response shows which issues to fix before you pay the full application fee.
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
- 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.
- Specialist surveys can be needed at short notice when a consultee raises an issue, adding cost and time.
Questions about garden plots in Kettering
Can I sell my Kettering 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.
What documents are needed for a garden plot application in Kettering?
North Northamptonshire Council publishes a local validation list, as every council does. Typically you need the forms, a location plan with the site and access edged in red, a site plan, floor plans, elevations, an ownership certificate and the fee, plus reports the plot calls for, such as trees, ecology, drainage and access. We prepare to the list for your address.
Is pre-application advice available in Kettering?
Most planning authorities, including North Northamptonshire 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.
Does a garden plot application in Kettering need a tree survey?
Often, yes. If trees on or near the plot could be affected, councils usually expect a tree survey showing root protection areas and how they’ll be protected during building. Trees with a Tree Preservation Order, or in a conservation area, need consent or notice before any work, and can shape where the house and drive go.
Other options in Kettering
- Bungalows on large plots
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell subject to planning
- Build a new home in your garden