- Planning authority
- London Borough of Islington
- Postcodes
- EC1V, N1, N1C, N5, N7
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
Islington: light, access and policy
Light is a real test on side plots because the new home sits so close to existing ones. In midwinter the noon sun in Islington is only around 15° above the horizon, so even a modest roof can shade a neighbour’s side windows or garden for long periods.
Councils, including the London Borough of Islington, look at daylight and sunlight to existing homes when deciding applications. A lower eaves line, a hipped roof or a slightly wider gap at the side can make the difference, and we test those options before the drawings are finalised.
The next steps, locally
An enquiry about a side plot in Islington can begin with a quick call and a couple of photos of the side of your house and the street. We follow up with a desktop appraisal and, if it’s promising, a site visit. If you sell, heads of terms come next and your solicitor takes over. If you build, we move to survey and design, then a written quote.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your plot on maps, the title plan and street views, check planning history nearby and talk it through with you. If a home beside yours looks possible we visit. No cost, no obligation.
Choose your route
Sell the plot outright, sell it subject to planning, or grant an option while you keep your house. Or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a new home on it.
Design and planning
We draw a home that sits in the street rather than fighting it, usually take pre-application advice, and submit the application. The council consults neighbours and decides; small schemes often take a few months.
Sale or build
For a sale, your solicitor handles the transfer of part and any release from your lender. For a build, a written quote follows design and survey, then we build, arrange the warranty and hand over.
Worth checking early
- Losing a side garden or drive changes how your house works day to day, from parking to getting bins round the back.
- Attaching a home to yours brings party wall, fire and sound separation work, and changes the feel of your own house.
- Corners kept open by design can be harder to build on than they look; character can matter more than space.
Islington: questions to ask
Will a new drive near the corner be allowed in Islington?
Only if drivers would have a clear enough view of the road and the junction stays safe. The highway authority comments on this and controls new dropped kerbs. Drives very close to a corner are often resisted, so we check the position on site before designing.
Is there a fee for checking my side plot in Islington?
There’s no fee. The appraisal is free and you’re under no obligation. We work from maps, the title and a phone call first, and only visit if the plot seems worth it. Nothing binds you until you’ve picked a route and read the written terms.
Could I sell just my side garden in Islington and stay put?
Yes. Legally it’s a transfer of part: HM Land Registry gives the side plot a title of its own, while your house keeps the rest. A mortgage lender has to consent to releasing the plot from its charge. Where the plot suits, we buy with or without planning, subject to survey, title and contract.
Can I build a house on my corner plot in Islington?
Possibly, if a new home would respect the building lines, keep the corner feeling open enough and allow safe visibility for drivers. It needs planning permission, and the London Borough of Islington decides. Our free appraisal tells you whether your corner is worth taking further.
Other options in Islington
- Plot feasibility and design
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Garage courts and yards
- Sell part of your garden