- Planning authority
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Postcodes
- HU10, HU16
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 36°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.8 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- East Riding of Yorkshire
Before you decide in Cottingham
Winter light is often the deciding factor for bungalow neighbours. In Cottingham, the December sun gets no higher than about 13° 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. East Riding of Yorkshire 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 Cottingham
Once you’ve chosen a route, we prepare the planning case for East Riding of Yorkshire 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.
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.
Worth checking early
- You’ll keep a smaller garden, and a drive alongside your bungalow brings cars past your windows.
- The order in which you sell the plot and the bungalow can affect your tax, so take advice first.
- Covenants on older estates can limit building, and resolving one takes time and may cost money.
Your questions, answered for Cottingham
Can I sell part of my bungalow garden in Cottingham and stay living there?
Yes. You keep the bungalow and sell the land behind or beside it, with or without planning, subject to survey, title and contract. If the bungalow is mortgaged, the lender must agree to release the plot. Take tax advice before you sell.
How much garden does a bungalow in Cottingham 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.
Will East Riding of Yorkshire Council allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Cottingham?
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.
Is it worth replacing my bungalow in Cottingham 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.
Other options in Cottingham
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Plot feasibility and design
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Sell part of your garden

