Backland Development
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Planning permission for a garden plot in Solihull

We offer planning applications for new homes on garden land in and around Solihull: long back gardens, wide side plots, garage courts and yards behind houses. The aim is a complete, well-evidenced submission, not a hopeful one, and an honest view beforehand of whether it is worth making at all.

That means a measured survey and the right specialist reports, drawings that show access, turning, parking and bins, a design and character analysis, and clear evidence on privacy and daylight. We handle the submission, consultation responses and amendments, then explain the decision and any conditions in plain English.

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Architect’s desk with a site plan, floor plan, sections and elevations for a small new house
Planning authority
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Postcodes
B37, B40, B91, B92, B93
Noon sun, 21 March
About 38°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.5 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
West Midlands

What the council will look at in Solihull

Overshadowing is a common objection to garden homes, so we answer it with numbers. At noon on 21 March the sun over Solihull 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. Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council can then judge the scheme on evidence rather than impressions.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Solihull: about 38 degrees on 21 March and 14 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 38°, shadow 6.5 m21 Dec, noon: sun 14°, shadow 19.8 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Solihull: around 38° of sun at midday in late March and about 14° 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

If you already have outline permission or a full permission with conditions for a plot in Solihull, 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.

  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. 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.

  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

  • Neighbours have a formal say during consultation, and the council must weigh any planning objections they raise.
  • 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.

Your questions, answered for Solihull

What documents are needed for a garden plot application in Solihull?

Solihull Metropolitan Borough 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.

How long will my Solihull 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.

What if my Solihull garden application is refused?

You can submit a revised application that addresses the reasons for refusal, appeal within 6 months of the decision date, or decide not to go further. Appeals go to the Planning Inspectorate in England or Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. We review the refusal and the officer’s report with you before recommending a route.

Does a garden plot application in Solihull 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 Solihull

Garden plot planning near Solihull

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.

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