- Planning authority
- Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
- Postcodes
- KT1, KT3, KT4, KT5, KT6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
Before you decide in Kingston upon Thames
A home placed behind another changes the light as well as the traffic. In Kingston upon Thames the sun peaks at roughly 39° in late March and barely 15° at the winter solstice, so shadows from even a modest building stretch a long way across a garden in the darker months.
That is why many tandem schemes use a single-storey or low-eaves design. It keeps upstairs windows from looking over neighbours and limits shadow. The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames decides, and its own guidance on separation distances sets the gaps it expects.
The next steps, locally
The first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal. For a Kingston upon Thames plot with a difficult way in, that means checking who owns each part of the route, what rights exist and how wide it is on the ground. If a neighbour or a ransom strip is involved, we agree an approach with you before contacting anyone.
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
- Tandem layouts affect the front house’s privacy and quiet, and councils weigh that carefully.
- Planning permission gives no right to cross land you don’t own; the legal access has to be secured separately.
- 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.
Kingston upon Thames: questions to ask
What if a neighbour in Kingston upon Thames owns the strip I need to cross?
Then you need their agreement, either to buy the strip or to grant a right of way over it. Terms are negotiated, often as a one-off payment or a share of the value the access creates. Both sides should take legal advice. We can make the approach with you.
Can I build behind my house in Kingston upon Thames 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 Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 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.
How do I find out if a lane behind my Kingston upon Thames home is a public road?
The highway authority keeps a list of streets maintained at public expense, and anyone can inspect it free of charge. If the lane isn’t on it, it’s probably private, and you’ll need to know who owns it and whether your title gives a vehicle right of way that would cover a new home.
Do you buy landlocked land in Kingston upon Thames?
We can, where the access problem looks solvable. Any purchase is subject to survey, title and contract. If securing access would cost more than it’s worth, or the owner of the strip won’t deal, we tell you that early rather than wasting your time.
Other options in Kingston upon Thames
- Garage courts and yards
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Bungalows on large plots
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden