- Planning authority
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- Postcodes
- BA1, BA2
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Somerset
What the council will look at in Bath
Garage courts near you, whether in Bath or in Keynsham, Trowbridge and Kingswood, 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 Bath and North East Somerset 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. Bath and North East Somerset 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.
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.
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
- Asbestos, contamination and bat surveys add cost and time before demolition can start.
- Neighbours whose gardens back onto the court are consulted and may object; the council decides.
- If garage income stops before a sale or build completes, you lose that income in the meantime.
Bath: questions to ask
What does it cost to have my Bath 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 I build houses on my garage block in Bath?
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 Bath and North East Somerset Council’s decision. A free appraisal shows whether the site merits going further.
Who has the final say on a Bath garage court scheme?
Bath and North East Somerset Council, as the local planning authority. Officers weigh the scheme against the council’s Local Plan and national policy, plus highways and design guidance, after hearing from neighbours and the highway authority. We put the application together and answer the officer’s questions, yet the verdict is never ours to give.
Do I need an asbestos survey for garages in Bath?
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.
Other options in Bath
- Plot feasibility and design
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots
- Garden plot option agreement
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours