- Planning authority
- London Borough of Sutton
- Postcodes
- SM1, SM2, SM3, SM5, SM6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
What shapes a plot in Sutton
Access is where many garden schemes succeed or fail, in Sutton as anywhere. A drive squeezed past the side of a house has to be wide enough for cars, give drivers a clear view as they pull out, and keep noise and headlights from bothering the people next door. A new or wider dropped kerb also needs the highway authority’s consent.
Homes in SM1, SM2, SM3 and SM5 with a garage or a wide side passage often start ahead here. Where the gap is tight, a smaller home, a shared drive with a neighbour or access from a lane behind may still work. Because the London Borough of Sutton will look closely at the detail, we design the access before the house.
The next steps, locally
Send us your address in Sutton and a rough idea of what you’d like. We check the planning history around you and the policies the London Borough of Sutton applies, and look for anything in the title that could get in the way. If the garden passes those checks, we arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain each route in plain terms.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your garden using maps, the title plan and the planning history around you, then talk it through with you. If it looks workable we arrange a site visit. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Choose your route
You decide whether to sell the plot outright, sell subject to planning, grant an option, team up with neighbours, or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a home on it.
Planning application
We prepare the drawings and reports, usually take pre-application advice, and submit. The council consults neighbours and decides. Small schemes often take a few months from submission, longer if surveys or amendments are needed.
Sale or build
If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer of part and your lender’s release of the plot. If you build, we give a written quote after design and survey, then build and hand over the new home.
Worth checking early
- Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.
- Neighbours are consulted and may object. The council decides, and a carefully designed scheme can still be refused.
- A covenant, a mortgage, a public sewer or a protected tree can slow a scheme down or stop it altogether.
Your questions, answered for Sutton
Who decides planning for a home in a Sutton back garden?
The London Borough of Sutton decides, using the council’s Local Plan, national policy and any local design guidance. It consults neighbours and other bodies before reaching a decision. We prepare the application and deal with the planning officer, but the outcome is always the council’s call.
Does it cost anything to have my Sutton garden looked at?
No. The garden plot appraisal is free and carries no obligation. It starts with a desktop check and a conversation, and we arrange a site visit if your garden looks viable. You only commit to anything once you’ve chosen a route and seen the terms in writing.
Can you build a home for my family in my garden in Sutton?
Yes. If you keep the land, we can design the home, apply for planning permission, build it once permission is granted and arrange the structural warranty lenders usually expect. You receive a written quote after design and survey. If the home is for a relative who will share your kitchen and front door, an annexe may suit better.
How long does planning take for a garden home in Sutton?
It varies. Small schemes often take a few months from submission to decision, and longer if surveys, amendments or extra consultation are needed. Pre-application advice and early surveys add time at the start but can save time later. We won’t promise a date, because the council sets the pace.
Other options in Sutton
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Garden plot option agreement
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Sell part of your garden