- Planning authority
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- Postcodes
- TN9, TN10, TN11
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Kent
How it plays out in Tonbridge
Garage blocks behind homes vary from a few lock-ups off a short drive to long courts serving whole streets, and a site in TN9, TN10 and TN11 could be either. The size of the site, the width of the lane and how many neighbours back onto it decide what could fit, not the number of garages.
Owners just outside Tonbridge, in places like Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Maidstone, face the same questions. We look at the lane, the rights over it and the distance to neighbouring windows first, then sketch options from a single home to a small group.
From first call to decision
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. Tonbridge and Malling Borough 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
- A narrow or unadopted lane can restrict the number of homes, or require sprinklers, a turning space or bin collection point.
- If garage income stops before a sale or build completes, you lose that income in the meantime.
- Neighbours whose gardens back onto the court are consulted and may object; the council decides.
Tonbridge: questions to ask
What does it cost to have my Tonbridge garage site assessed?
Nothing. Our assessment is free, with no obligation. We review the title, maps and planning history and speak to you before deciding whether a visit is worthwhile. You’re only committed after choosing a route and agreeing terms set out in writing.
Can you build homes on my yard in Tonbridge if I keep it?
Yes. You keep ownership while we handle the lot: surveys, demolition of the old buildings, design, the planning application, construction and the structural warranty that buyers’ lenders tend to need. A written quote is given once design and survey are complete; guide prices before then are only guides.
Do I need an asbestos survey for garages in Tonbridge?
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 Tonbridge 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 Tonbridge
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell part of your garden
- Build a new home in your garden
- Large rear gardens
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Sell subject to planning