- Planning authority
- East Devon District Council
- Postcodes
- EX8
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Devon
What the council will look at in Exmouth
Garage courts are usually hemmed in by back gardens, so light becomes a real test. Take 21 March: at noon, Exmouth gets sun from about 39° up, which means a wall with 5 m eaves shades a strip of ground about 6.1 m deep behind it. Midwinter is harsher still, with the sun peaking at around 16°.
That explains why low homes, often single-storey or with rooms tucked into the roof, suit so many courts. We plot the shadows for your actual site and shape the buildings so surrounding gardens hold on to their light.
From first call to decision
Tell us where the garages or yard are in Exmouth and how the land is used now. From there we review East Devon District Council’s policies, past applications close by and the title, looking for rights of way, covenants and charges. If nothing stands in the way, we’ll arrange to meet you on site and walk the lane and the court together.
Free site appraisal
We look at the site on maps, the title plan and the planning history, then talk through who uses it now. If it looks workable we visit. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Site checks and layout
We look at the access lane, the buildings, likely asbestos and contamination, drains and neighbours’ windows, then sketch what could realistically fit, from one home to a small group, or nothing at all.
Choose your route
Sell the site outright or subject to planning, grant an option, or keep it and have us design, get planning for and build. Garage tenancies and licences are ended properly before any work starts.
Planning, then sale or build
We prepare and submit the application and the council decides. If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer. If you build, a written quote follows design and survey, then demolition and construction.
Worth checking early
- Ending garage tenancies or licences takes time, and some tenants may have legal protection; get legal advice before serving notice.
- Asbestos, contamination and bat surveys add cost and time before demolition can start.
- A narrow or unadopted lane can restrict the number of homes, or require sprinklers, a turning space or bin collection point.
Your questions, answered for Exmouth
Do I need an asbestos survey for garages in Exmouth?
Yes, before demolition. Health and Safety Executive guidance says a refurbishment and demolition survey must find asbestos before structural work begins. Older garage roofs are often asbestos cement sheeting. Specialists carry out the survey and removal, and we build both into the plan.
Can neighbours in Exmouth block a garage court scheme?
Neighbours are consulted and can object, and those with a legal right of way over the court have rights the scheme must respect. Objections alone don’t decide the outcome. We map every right first and design to keep routes open where they are needed.
Will you buy my garages in Exmouth with tenants in them?
Possibly. Any purchase is subject to survey, title and contract, with or without planning in place. Existing tenancies and licences must be brought to an end properly under their own terms, and when that happens forms part of the agreed deal. Get legal advice before any notice is served.
Is the lane to my Exmouth garages wide enough?
It depends on the lane, the number of homes and local highway standards. The council will look at width, visibility at the street and the effect on neighbours. Fire and bin access matter too. A narrow lane may limit the number of homes rather than ruling the site out.
Other options in Exmouth
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots
- Bungalows on large plots
- Garden plot option agreement
- Build a new home in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots