Backland Development
0800 088 6248Free to call Free plot appraisal

Building in a large rear garden in Bognor Regis

There are two broad ways to use spare land at the back of a house in Bognor Regis. The first is to sell it: outright, subject to planning, through an option, or alongside your neighbours. The second is to keep it and have a new home designed, approved and built on it for you.

Which suits you depends on how much risk and involvement you want, and on what the plot can realistically take. A single bungalow, a two-storey home, or a pair sharing one drive across two gardens are all possible on the right site. We look at yours first, free of charge, and explain the trade-offs.

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Overhead view of three long, narrow back gardens with lawns, a greenhouse, vegetable beds and sheds
Planning authority
Arun District Council
Postcodes
PO21, PO22
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.1 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
West Sussex

The local picture in Bognor Regis

The right layout for a long Bognor Regis garden depends on depth, width and light. With the noon sun only about 16° up in December, a two-storey home placed close to a neighbour’s boundary can darken their garden for much of the winter. A single-storey home, or rooms in the roof with carefully placed roof lights, often sits more comfortably.

Wider plots sometimes take two homes, and two long gardens side by side can share a single drive. We test each option against Arun District Council’s likely concerns, then show you which are realistic and which aren’t worth pursuing.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Bognor Regis: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 16 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.1 m21 Dec, noon: sun 16°, shadow 17.7 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Bognor Regis: around 39° of sun at midday in late March and about 16° at midwinter. It shows why the gap between your house and a new home behind it is about light as well as privacy. Garden assumed to face north.

From first call to decision

Here’s what happens after you get in touch about a garden in Bognor Regis. We look at maps, the title plan and nearby planning history, then call you to talk it through. If the plot looks viable we visit, measure up and check access, levels and trees. You then get a plain summary of what could fit and the routes open to you, with no obligation to take any of them.

  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

  • Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.
  • A shorter garden changes how your own house feels to live in and may affect what it is worth.
  • A covenant, a mortgage, a public sewer or a protected tree can slow a scheme down or stop it altogether.

Your questions, answered for Bognor Regis

How long does planning take for a garden home in Bognor Regis?

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.

Will my neighbours in Bognor Regis get a say?

Yes. The council consults neighbours on planning applications, and they can comment or object. Their comments are weighed alongside policy, but objections alone don’t decide the outcome. A layout that respects privacy, light and access usually gives neighbours less to worry about, so we design with them in mind.

Can you build a home for my family in my garden in Bognor Regis?

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.

Can I build a house in my back garden in Bognor Regis?

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 Arun District Council makes the decision. A free appraisal will tell you whether your garden is worth taking further.

Other options in Bognor Regis

Large rear gardens near Bognor Regis

Find out what your garden could become

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

Get my free appraisal 0800 088 6248