Backland Development
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Building in a large rear garden in Horley

If you have a long rear garden in Horley, the first question is usually the obvious one: is there really room for a house down there? The honest answer comes from measuring, not guessing. Separation from existing back windows, garden space for both homes and a drive that works for cars, bins and emergency access all have to fit.

Once we know what could realistically go there, you pick the route that suits you. Some owners prefer a clean sale of the plot, with or without planning. Others want the new home itself, for a parent, a grown-up child or to let. We handle the design and the planning application either way.

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Overhead view of three long, narrow back gardens with lawns, a greenhouse, vegetable beds and sheds
Planning authority
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Postcodes
RH6
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Surrey

The local picture in Horley

Access is where many garden schemes succeed or fail, in Horley 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 RH6 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 Reigate and Banstead Borough Council will look closely at the detail, we design the access before the house.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Horley: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.2 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.2 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Horley on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.2 m. In December the sun is only about 15° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

How we’d take it forward in Horley

Send us your address in Horley and a rough idea of what you’d like. We check the planning history around you and the policies Reigate and Banstead Borough Council 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  • Neighbours are consulted and may object. The council decides, and a carefully designed scheme can still be refused.
  • 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.

Questions about garden plots in Horley

How long does planning take for a garden home in Horley?

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.

Can I build a house in my back garden in Horley?

Possibly, if the garden is deep enough, has a safe way in and a new home wouldn’t harm the neighbours or the character of the street. A new separate home always needs planning permission, and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council makes the decision. A free appraisal will tell you whether your garden is worth taking further.

Can you build a home for my family in my garden in Horley?

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.

Who decides planning for a home in a Horley back garden?

Reigate and Banstead Borough 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.

Other options in Horley

Large rear gardens near Horley

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.

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