- Planning authority
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Postcodes
- ME14, ME15, ME16, ME20
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Kent
Before you decide in Maidstone
When Maidstone Borough Council looks at a new home next to a bungalow, the first concern is usually height. A two-storey building among single-storey neighbours can overlook gardens and change the look of the road, so many schemes stay low or use rooms in the roof.
Light matters too. Under the 39° midday sun that Maidstone sees on 21 March, an eaves line about 5 metres up throws a shadow close to 6.2 m long, while a bungalow’s lower eaves throw much less. Next door to a bungalow, that difference shows clearly in the garden.
The next steps, locally
Once you’ve chosen a route, we prepare the planning case for Maidstone Borough 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.
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.
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.
- A two-storey home on a road of bungalows is often resisted, so designs may need to stay low.
- You’ll keep a smaller garden, and a drive alongside your bungalow brings cars past your windows.
Questions about garden plots in Maidstone
Can I sell part of my bungalow garden in Maidstone 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 Maidstone 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.
How long does planning for a bungalow plot in Maidstone 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.
Will neighbours in Maidstone be able to object to a new home next to my bungalow?
They can comment on the planning application, and Maidstone 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 Maidstone
- Sell subject to planning
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Garden plot option agreement
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Large rear gardens