- Planning authority
- London Borough of Hillingdon
- Postcodes
- HA4, UB3, UB4, UB8, UB10
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
What the council will look at in Hillingdon
Access to land behind homes in HA4, UB3, UB4 and UB8 can differ from one street to the next: a side drive, a garage with a gap beside it, a back lane, or nothing at all. That is why we measure the actual route rather than relying on a map.
The London Borough of Hillingdon will consult neighbours on any application, and the people living along the drive are the ones most affected. A layout that keeps cars away from their windows, with a fence or planting alongside, usually answers the strongest objections before they’re made.
From first call to decision
We take a Hillingdon plot with tricky access forward in three stages. First the legal access, confirmed with your solicitor. Then a layout that answers the questions the London Borough of Hillingdon asks about tandem and backland homes. Then the route you chose, whether that’s a sale, an option or a build. You can stop at any stage before signing.
Free plot appraisal
We start with the access, not the plot: title plans, rights of way, the width on the ground and the route to the road. It’s a desktop check and a conversation, with a site visit if it looks viable, at no cost.
Title and access check
With your solicitor we confirm who owns every strip between the plot and the road, what rights already exist and whether they cover a new home. Any ransom strip or missing right shows up at this stage.
Secure the way in
If a right of way needs widening, a strip needs buying or a neighbour needs to come in, we agree the approach with you and negotiate it, so the terms are settled before planning money is spent.
Sale or build
Depending on the route you chose, the sale completes through a transfer of part, or you keep the land and we give a written quote for building the new home after design and survey.
Worth checking early
- Access is usually the deciding factor on these plots, so a large plot with a poor way in may not be a building plot at all.
- Tandem layouts affect the front house’s privacy and quiet, and councils weigh that carefully.
- Buying out a ransom strip or a neighbour’s land costs money and time, and the other owner can say no.
Hillingdon: questions to ask
Can I build behind my house in Hillingdon if the only way in is my drive?
Possibly. That would be a tandem layout, with the new home behind yours sharing your drive. The London Borough of Hillingdon will look at the effect of cars passing your house, privacy, garden space and whether it suits the area. Fire and bin access also need checking. The decision is the council’s, and a good design improves the odds.
Will the London Borough of Hillingdon accept a shared drive for a new home in Hillingdon?
It can, but shared drives are looked at closely. The council will consider the width, visibility at the road, the effect on the house beside the drive, and whether fire and bin access work. A drive with a clear gap from windows and screening alongside generally fares better.
How long does sorting access on a Hillingdon plot usually take?
It varies. Confirming an existing right of way can take a few weeks of solicitor time. Negotiating with a neighbour or a ransom strip owner often takes longer, and depends on how quickly everyone agrees and takes advice. Once we’ve seen the title and the route, we can give you a sensible estimate.
Is a sprinkler system needed for a home at the end of a long drive in Hillingdon?
It may be. In England, where a fire engine can’t get within 45 metres of all points inside the home, other measures, often sprinklers, may be accepted if building control and the fire service agree. In Wales, every new house needs sprinklers anyway. Building control decides what’s needed for the specific layout.
Other options in Hillingdon
- Sell subject to planning
- Sell part of your garden
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Garden plot option agreement