- Planning authority
- Wokingham Borough Council
- Postcodes
- RG2, RG6, RG41
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Berkshire
What shapes a plot in Earley
Replacing a bungalow in RG2, RG6 and RG41 with two or more homes needs planning permission for the new homes, and Wokingham Borough 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.
How we’d take it forward in Earley
Once you’ve chosen a route, we prepare the planning case for Wokingham Borough 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.
Sale or build
If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer and any lender release. If we build, you receive a written quote after design and survey, and the new home is built and handed over to you.
Worth checking early
- Covenants on older estates can limit building, and resolving one takes time and may cost money.
- 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.
Earley: questions to ask
Is it worth replacing my bungalow in Earley with more homes?
Sometimes, where the plot is large and the bungalow is dated or poorly placed. Replacement can fit more homes than building behind, but you would need to move out during the work. We compare both approaches for your plot during the appraisal.
Will neighbours in Earley be able to object to a new home next to my bungalow?
They can comment on the planning application, and Wokingham Borough 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 Wokingham Borough Council allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Earley?
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.
Can I build a second home on my bungalow plot in Earley?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from Wokingham Borough Council, which will look at the street scene, neighbours’ privacy and light, garden space and parking. A free appraisal tells you what is realistic.
Other options in Earley
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Plot feasibility and design
- Large rear gardens
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Corner and side plots