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- National planning policy
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- Brighton
Getting it right in East Sussex
Access lanes decide most garage court schemes in East Sussex. Councils look at the lane’s width, surface and lighting, how drivers will see as they pull out, and whether a fire engine can get close enough. The design must allow for fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). Bin collection matters too, because residents shouldn’t carry waste more than 30 metres to the store. A narrow lane may limit a site to one or two homes, but that can still be worthwhile.
Planning authorities covering East Sussex include Brighton and Hove City Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council, Rother District Council, Wealden District Council, South Downs National Park Authority.
How it works
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.
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.
Garage courts and yards in towns across East Sussex
Questions about garage courts and yards in East Sussex
Do you look at garage courts and yards in East Sussex?
We do. Garage courts and yards anywhere in East Sussex are covered, as is the rest of England and Wales. Share the site address, some photos and how the garages are used today, and a free desktop review follows before we suggest meeting on site.
Is garage land treated as brownfield in East Sussex?
It can be, but it depends on the site. Land lawfully occupied by permanent structures can count as previously developed land, while gardens in built-up areas are treated differently in England. The council makes the judgement, so we check the site’s history and use first.
Could I keep my garage site in East Sussex and have homes built on it?
Yes. Keeping the site and having us design the homes, seek planning and build them is one route. The other is to sell: outright, subject to planning, or through an option. A free appraisal of the site comes first, and we explain how each route would work for you.
How much is a garden plot in East Sussex worth?
It depends on location, size, access, title and, above all, planning. Two similar gardens in the same street can be worth very different amounts if one has easy access and the other doesn’t. We don’t quote figures before we’ve looked at a plot properly; the free appraisal is the way to find out.