- Planning authority
- Bracknell Forest Council
- Postcodes
- RG45
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Berkshire
Crowthorne: light, access and policy
Winter light is often the deciding factor for bungalow neighbours. In Crowthorne, the December sun gets no higher than about 15° even at noon, so even a modest building casts a long shadow across a low neighbour’s garden and into ground-floor rooms.
Keeping the new home low, setting it back from boundaries, or placing it where its shadow falls mainly on its own land all help. Bracknell Forest Council weighs daylight alongside privacy, garden space and the look of the street, so a design that handles all four together stands the best chance.
How we’d take it forward in Crowthorne
After a free appraisal, we set out what could realistically fit on your Crowthorne plot: a home behind, a home beside, or a replacement scheme. You choose the route that suits you, whether that’s selling, partnering or having us build, and only then do we start on drawings and planning work. Nothing is spent on design until you’ve decided.
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
- You’ll keep a smaller garden, and a drive alongside your bungalow brings cars past your windows.
- 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.
Crowthorne: questions to ask
How much garden does a bungalow in Crowthorne need to keep?
There’s no single figure. Councils look for enough private garden for both the existing home and the new one, and many have guidance on minimum garden sizes. We check your council’s guidance during the appraisal.
Can I build a second home on my bungalow plot in Crowthorne?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from Bracknell Forest Council, which will look at the street scene, neighbours’ privacy and light, garden space and parking. A free appraisal tells you what is realistic.
Do I need to sell my Crowthorne 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 Bracknell Forest Council allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Crowthorne?
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 Crowthorne
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Sell subject to planning
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Sell part of your garden