- Planning authority
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Postcodes
- HU10, HU16
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 36°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.8 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- East Riding of Yorkshire
What shapes a plot in Cottingham
Garage courts near you, whether in Cottingham or in Hessle, Hull and Beverley, may already have been turned into homes. Where that has happened, it hints at what the council will accept, but no earlier decision binds it and each scheme is weighed afresh against current policy.
The local rules sit in the council’s Local Plan, together with whatever design or parking guidance East Riding of Yorkshire Council has adopted. We check those and the history of nearby courts, so your scheme begins from a realistic footing.
The next steps, locally
From here the pace is yours. A sale only proceeds once heads of terms are in writing and you’re happy with them; a build only proceeds once surveys, design and a written quote are in front of you. Garage tenancies are brought to an end under their own terms, on legal advice. East Riding of Yorkshire Council then consults neighbours on the application and makes the decision.
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.
Rights and title review
We map who has rights over the court and lane, which garages are let and on what terms, and whether any covenants, charges or strips of land you don’t own could block a scheme.
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.
- A narrow or unadopted lane can restrict the number of homes, or require sprinklers, a turning space or bin collection point.
- Rights of way over the court or lane can limit what you can build, and some arise from long use rather than the title.
Your questions, answered for Cottingham
Do I need an asbestos survey for garages in Cottingham?
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.
Is the lane to my Cottingham 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.
Can neighbours in Cottingham 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.
Can I build houses on my garage block in Cottingham?
Possibly, if the lane works for cars, bins and emergency access, neighbours’ privacy and light are protected, and rights over the site can be dealt with. Homes there need planning permission, which is East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s decision. A free appraisal shows whether the site merits going further.
Other options in Cottingham
- Sell part of your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Large rear gardens
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots
- Plot feasibility and design

