- Planning authority
- St Helens Borough Council
- Postcodes
- L35, WA9, WA10, WA11, WN5
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.7 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Merseyside
How it plays out in St Helens
Before St Helens 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 St Helens stands at roughly 37°, 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.
What happens next in St Helens
After a free appraisal, we set out what could realistically fit on your St Helens 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.
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
- A two-storey home on a road of bungalows is often resisted, so designs may need to stay low.
- Filling the gap beside a bungalow can change the look of the street, which councils weigh carefully.
- You’ll keep a smaller garden, and a drive alongside your bungalow brings cars past your windows.
Questions about garden plots in St Helens
How much garden does a bungalow in St Helens 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.
Can I build a second home on my bungalow plot in St Helens?
Possibly, if the plot is wide or deep enough and has a workable way in. The new home needs planning permission from St Helens 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.
Can I sell part of my bungalow garden in St Helens 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.
Do I need to sell my St Helens bungalow to develop the plot?
No. You can keep the bungalow and sell a plot, have us build on the land for you, or enter a joint venture. Replacing the bungalow is only one of several options, and staying put is often simpler.
Other options in St Helens
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell part of your garden
- Garage courts and yards
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Sell subject to planning