Backland Development
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Planning permission for a garden plot in Cobham

If you have already had a garden application refused in Cobham, a fresh look can help. We read the decision notice and officer’s report, check them against local policy and the plot itself, and tell you plainly whether a revised scheme, an appeal or stepping back makes most sense.

For new applications the approach is the same, just earlier: identify the issues that decide garden schemes locally and deal with them in the design before anything is submitted. Permission is always the council’s decision, but a well-prepared application gives it the clearest basis to make one.

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Architect’s desk with a site plan, floor plan, sections and elevations for a small new house
Planning authority
Elmbridge Borough Council
Postcodes
KT11
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Surrey

How it plays out in Cobham

Overshadowing is a common objection to garden homes, so we answer it with numbers. At noon on 21 March the sun over Cobham is about 39° above the horizon, and the shadow from a 5 m eaves line reaches about 6.2 m; on 21 December the sun rises to only about 15°.

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. Elmbridge Borough Council can then judge the scheme on evidence rather than impressions.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Cobham: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.2 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.4 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Cobham: around 39° of sun at midday in late March and about 15° at midwinter. It shows why the gap between your house and a new home behind it is about light as well as privacy. Garden assumed to face north.

From first call to decision

When a decision on your Cobham application arrives, we go through it with you line by line. If permission is granted, we explain each condition, which ones must be approved before work starts, and the time limit. If it’s refused, we review the reasons and set out the options, with a straight view on the prospects of each.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.
  • Specialist surveys can be needed at short notice when a consultee raises an issue, adding cost and time.

Your questions, answered for Cobham

Is pre-application advice available in Cobham?

Most planning authorities, including Elmbridge 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.

Does a garden plot application in Cobham 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.

Can I sell my Cobham 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.

How long will my Cobham 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.

Other options in Cobham

Garden plot planning near Cobham

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