- Planning authority
- South Downs National Park Authority
- Postcodes
- BN7
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- East Sussex
Before you decide in Lewes
Replacing a bungalow in BN7 with two or more homes needs planning permission for the new homes, and South Downs National Park Authority 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 Lewes
After a free appraisal, we set out what could realistically fit on your Lewes 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.
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
- Replacing the bungalow means moving out during demolition and building, which suits some owners and not others.
- Covenants on older estates can limit building, and resolving one takes time and may cost money.
- Filling the gap beside a bungalow can change the look of the street, which councils weigh carefully.
Questions about garden plots in Lewes
Could I build a home for a relative on my bungalow plot in Lewes?
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.
Will neighbours in Lewes be able to object to a new home next to my bungalow?
They can comment on the planning application, and South Downs National Park Authority takes their views into account. They don’t have a veto. Designs that avoid overlooking and shadow usually draw fewer and weaker objections.
Can I build a second home on my bungalow plot in Lewes?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from South Downs National Park Authority, which will look at the street scene, neighbours’ privacy and light, garden space and parking. A free appraisal tells you what is realistic.
Will South Downs National Park Authority allow a two-storey house next to bungalows in Lewes?
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 Lewes
- Corner and side plots
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell subject to planning
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Large rear gardens
- Plot feasibility and design