- Planning authority
- Shropshire Council
- Postcodes
- TF9
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.6 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Shropshire
Market Drayton: light, access and policy
Overshadowing is often the deciding issue in a long garden. At midday on 21 March the sun in Market Drayton stands about 37° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line throws a shadow of roughly 6.6 m. In midwinter the noon sun is only about 14° up and shadows stretch around three times as far.
That’s why the gap between a new home and neighbouring gardens matters, and why a lower roof, or a home set further from the boundary, can make a scheme acceptable. We check the shadows on your actual plot rather than relying on rules of thumb.
How we’d take it forward in Market Drayton
Once you’ve had the free appraisal, nothing moves without your say-so. For a sale, terms are agreed in writing before you sign anything. For a build, design and survey come first and the quote follows. In both cases the planning application goes to Shropshire Council, which consults your neighbours before deciding. Small schemes often take a few months from submission, and surveys or design changes can add more.
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.
Measure and test the layout
We check depth, the width of the way in, levels, trees, drains and what lies behind, then sketch what could realistically fit: one home, two, or nothing worth pursuing, before anyone pays for an application.
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
- A shorter garden changes how your own house feels to live in and may affect what it is worth.
- Surveys and drawings cost money before any decision. On a subject-to-planning sale we normally fund them; on a build you do.
- Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.
Market Drayton: questions to ask
How do I find out if my Market Drayton garden is big enough for a house?
Ask for a free garden plot appraisal. We measure depth and the width of the way in, check what lies behind, look at levels, trees and drainage, and compare your garden with your council’s separation and garden-size guidance. Size alone rarely settles it, because access and neighbours’ privacy matter just as much.
Can I sell the end of my garden in Market Drayton and keep my house?
Yes. The plot is sold as a transfer of part and gets its own title at HM Land Registry. If your house is mortgaged, your lender must agree to release the plot. We can buy suitable plots with or without planning, always subject to survey, title and contract.
Who decides planning for a home in a Market Drayton back garden?
Shropshire Council 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.
How long does planning take for a garden home in Market Drayton?
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 Market Drayton
- Sell subject to planning
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Corner and side plots
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Bungalows on large plots
- Planning permission for a garden plot

