Bungalows on large plots in Kent

Owning a bungalow with more garden than you need is common, and it opens up several options in Kent. You can sell part of the plot and stay put, have a new home built on it for yourself or a relative, or look at replacing the bungalow altogether.

We’re a new brand within the S&K Group, offering both kinds of route: buying or partnering on the land, or designing and building on it while you keep it. Every scheme still needs planning permission, and that decision always rests with the council, so we start by checking what is realistic.

Brick bungalow on a wide plot in a quiet cul-de-sac with a very large garden to the side
Nation
England
National planning policy
NPPF
Planning authorities
13
City
Canterbury

How councils in Kent look at it

A wide bungalow plot in Kent 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 Kent include Ashford Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Dartford Borough Council, Dover District Council, Folkestone and Hythe District Council, Gravesham Borough Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Medway Council, Sevenoaks District Council, Swale Borough Council, Thanet District Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

How it works

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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 Kent

Questions about bungalows on large plots in Kent

What routes do you offer for bungalow plots in Kent?

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.

Do councils in Kent resist building next to bungalows?

They look carefully at height, overlooking and the character of the street. Two-storey homes among bungalows are often resisted, but single-storey or chalet designs that respect neighbours have a better chance. Each council has its own guidance.

Is building beside a bungalow easier than behind it in Kent?

Often, if the plot is wide enough. A new home beside the bungalow usually faces the street, which councils tend to find easier to accept than a home behind with a shared drive. It still depends on spacing and the look of the road.

Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Kent?

The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Kent include Ashford Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Dartford Borough Council, Dover District Council, Folkestone and Hythe District Council and other councils. 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.

Other options in Kent

Everything we cover in Kent

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.