- Planning authority
- London Borough of Merton
- Postcodes
- CR4, SM4, SW19, SW20
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
Before you decide in Merton
Light is a real test on side plots because the new home sits so close to existing ones. In midwinter the noon sun in Merton 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 Merton, 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.
How we’d take it forward in Merton
Give us your Merton address and a sense of what you’re hoping for. Our desktop review covers the policies the London Borough of Merton works to, recent applications on nearby side and corner plots, and anything in your title that might restrict building. A clear result leads to a visit when it suits you, after which we explain each route and what it would mean in practice.
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
- Attaching a home to yours brings party wall, fire and sound separation work, and changes the feel of your own house.
- A new drive close to a junction may not be acceptable to the highway authority, which can force a different layout.
- Corners kept open by design can be harder to build on than they look; character can matter more than space.
Merton: questions to ask
Can I attach a new home to my house in Merton?
Yes, where it suits the street, for example on the end of a semi-detached pair. It needs planning permission as a separate home, fire and sound separation under Building Regulations, and possibly a party wall agreement. We check whether attached or detached fits your road better.
Can you build a home beside my house in Merton for my family?
Yes. A home next door can give a parent or grown-up child their own front door while keeping them close. You keep the land; we draw the house, apply for permission, build it and arrange the structural warranty or other cover lenders accept. The written quote comes after design and survey.
Can I build a house on my corner plot in Merton?
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 Merton decides. Our free appraisal tells you whether your corner is worth taking further.
Which body approves a new home on a side plot in Merton?
The planning decision belongs to the London Borough of Merton. It checks the proposal against the council’s Local Plan, national policy and its own design guidance, and asks neighbours and the highway authority for their views first. Our role is to prepare and submit a strong application; approval or refusal is the council’s call alone.
Other options in Merton
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Garden plot option agreement
- Build a new home in your garden
- Joint venture on your garden plot