- Planning authority
- Hertsmere Borough Council
- Postcodes
- EN6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Hertfordshire
Before you decide in Potters Bar
Before Hertsmere Borough Council sees an application, the design should already answer the obvious objections from bungalow neighbours: upstairs windows, shadow and the loss of an open outlook. Because the March noon sun over Potters Bar stands at roughly 38°, roof pitch and eaves height make a real difference to how far shadows reach.
Rooflights, low eaves and windows facing the plot’s own garden are common answers. Pre-application advice from the council can test them before a full application is made, which saves redesign later.
From first call to decision
Tell us roughly where your Potters Bar bungalow is and how the plot is laid out. We check the title plan, the planning history nearby and the street from the desk, then talk through what you want from the land. If it looks viable, we visit, measure and sketch the options for you to consider, with no cost and no obligation at any point.
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
- Filling the gap beside a bungalow can change the look of the street, which councils weigh carefully.
- Replacing the bungalow means moving out during demolition and building, which suits some owners and not others.
- The order in which you sell the plot and the bungalow can affect your tax, so take advice first.
Questions about garden plots in Potters Bar
Can I build a second home on my bungalow plot in Potters Bar?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from Hertsmere 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.
How long does planning for a bungalow plot in Potters Bar usually take?
It varies. Surveys and design often take a few weeks to a few months, then the council needs time to decide. Pre-application advice, extra reports or design changes can add time. We give you a realistic idea after the appraisal.
Could I build a home for a relative on my bungalow plot in Potters Bar?
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 Potters Bar be able to object to a new home next to my bungalow?
They can comment on the planning application, and Hertsmere 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.
Other options in Potters Bar
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Garage courts and yards
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Large rear gardens