- Planning authority
- Derby City Council
- Postcodes
- DE1, DE3, DE23, DE24
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.6 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Derbyshire
The local picture in Derby
Winter light is often the deciding factor for bungalow neighbours. In Derby, the December sun gets no higher than about 14° 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. Derby City 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.
What happens next in Derby
Once you’ve chosen a route, we prepare the planning case for Derby City 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.
- A two-storey home on a road of bungalows is often resisted, so designs may need to stay low.
- The order in which you sell the plot and the bungalow can affect your tax, so take advice first.
Derby: questions to ask
How much garden does a bungalow in Derby 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 Derby?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from Derby City Council, which will look at the street scene, neighbours’ privacy and light, garden space and parking. A free appraisal tells you what is realistic.
Will Derby City Council allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Derby?
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.
Could I build a home for a relative on my bungalow plot in Derby?
Yes, through our design and build route. You keep the land, and we design, get planning for and build the new home. A separate home needs planning permission; an annexe used as part of the main house is treated differently.
Other options in Derby
- Garage courts and yards
- Corner and side plots
- Sell subject to planning
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Plot feasibility and design