- Planning authority
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Postcodes
- LU6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.4 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Bedfordshire
The local picture in Dunstable
Replacing a bungalow in LU6 with two or more homes needs planning permission for the new homes, and Central Bedfordshire Council will look closely at the number of homes, their height, parking, bins and garden space for each household.
A replacement can sometimes fit better than squeezing a new home behind a bungalow that stays, because the whole plot can be laid out from scratch. Neighbours are consulted either way, and a design that respects single-storey homes next door usually meets fewer objections.
From first call to decision
Once you’ve chosen a route, we prepare the planning case for Central Bedfordshire Council, usually starting with pre-application advice. Neighbours are consulted when the application goes in, we answer any queries from the planning officer, and the council decides. If you’re selling, your solicitor handles the transfer; if we’re building, you receive a written quote after design and survey, before any construction is agreed.
Free plot appraisal
We look at the plot’s width and depth, the access, the planning history nearby and the character of the street, then talk through what you want. It’s free, with no obligation, and a site visit follows if it looks viable.
Compare the options
We sketch what could realistically fit: a home behind, a home beside, or a replacement scheme. You see the trade-offs for each, including what happens to your own garden and parking, before choosing a route.
Choose your route
You can sell a plot and stay put, sell subject to planning, grant an option, enter a joint venture, or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a new home on it.
Planning application
We prepare drawings and reports designed around single-storey neighbours and the street scene, usually seek pre-application advice, and submit. The council consults neighbours and makes the decision.
Worth checking early
- Filling the gap beside a bungalow can change the look of the street, which councils weigh carefully.
- The order in which you sell the plot and the bungalow can affect your tax, so take advice first.
- Replacing the bungalow means moving out during demolition and building, which suits some owners and not others.
Questions about garden plots in Dunstable
How long does planning for a bungalow plot in Dunstable usually take?
It varies. Surveys and design often take a few weeks to a few months, then the council needs time to decide. Pre-application advice, extra reports or design changes can add time. We give you a realistic idea after the appraisal.
Do I need to sell my Dunstable bungalow to develop the plot?
No. You can keep the bungalow and sell a plot, have us build on the land for you, or enter a joint venture. Replacing the bungalow is only one of several options, and staying put is often simpler.
Will neighbours in Dunstable be able to object to a new home next to my bungalow?
They can comment on the planning application, and Central Bedfordshire Council takes their views into account. They don’t have a veto. Designs that avoid overlooking and shadow usually draw fewer and weaker objections.
Will Central Bedfordshire Council allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Dunstable?
It depends on the street and the design. Councils are often cautious about two-storey homes among single-storey neighbours because of overlooking and the change to the street. Chalet designs with rooms in the roof are a common compromise, but the council decides.
Other options in Dunstable
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Plot feasibility and design