- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 2
- County town
- Dorchester
Dorset: the planning picture
A wide bungalow plot in Dorset sometimes allows a new home beside the bungalow, facing the street. That is usually infill rather than backland, and councils often find it easier to accept because the new home sits in line with its neighbours. The gaps between buildings still matter, though, especially where they are part of the character of the road. We look at spacing, the building line and roof heights along your street as part of the appraisal.
Planning authorities covering Dorset include BCP Council, Dorset Council.
How it works
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.
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.
Bungalows on large plots in towns across Dorset
Questions about bungalows on large plots in Dorset
Does selling part of my bungalow plot in Dorset affect tax?
It can. Private Residence Relief can cover part of a garden sold while you still own and live in the home, within limits, but the order of sales can change things, and land divided off for development may not qualify. Take advice from a tax adviser before deciding.
Are bungalow plots in Dorset good for development?
Some can be, because bungalows often sit on wider and deeper plots than houses. Whether yours works depends on width, depth, access, the street and neighbours. The council makes the planning decision, and a free appraisal is the way to find out.
What routes do you offer for bungalow plots in Dorset?
You can sell part of the plot, sell subject to planning, grant an option, enter a joint venture or combine with neighbours. Or you keep the land and we design, get planning for and build a new home on it.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Dorset?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Dorset include BCP Council and Dorset Council. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.