Backland Development
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Tandem and landlocked plots in Richmond upon Thames

Shared drives, side passages and back lanes are all common ways into garden plots, around Richmond upon Thames as elsewhere. Each brings a different question: is it wide enough, is it safe where it meets the road, and does anyone else have a say over who uses it?

Answering those questions early saves money later, because drawings for a plot nobody can legally reach are wasted. Our free appraisal covers the title and rights of way, a measured look at the width, fire and bin access, and the planning view the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is likely to take of a home behind an existing one.

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Narrow gravel drive running between two brick houses to an open gate and a garden plot behind
Planning authority
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Postcodes
SW14, TW1, TW2, TW9, TW10
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 Richmond upon Thames

A home placed behind another changes the light as well as the traffic. In Richmond 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 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames decides, and its own guidance on separation distances sets the gaps it expects.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Richmond upon Thames: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.3 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.5 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Richmond upon Thames: around 39° of sun at midday in late March and about 15° 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.

The next steps, locally

The first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal. For a Richmond 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Planning application

    We design a layout that answers the access, privacy and neighbour questions councils ask about tandem and backland plots, then apply. The council consults neighbours and decides, and the decision is always the council’s.

  4. 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

  • Planning permission gives no right to cross land you don’t own; the legal access has to be secured separately.
  • Buying out a ransom strip or a neighbour’s land costs money and time, and the other owner can say no.
  • A right of way that has served a garage or field for years may not legally cover a new house.

Richmond upon Thames: questions to ask

Is a sprinkler system needed for a home at the end of a long drive in Richmond upon Thames?

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.

Can I build behind my house in Richmond 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 London Borough of Richmond 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.

Could my neighbour and I in Richmond upon Thames share one new access?

Often, yes. If both your gardens are long, combining them can give one shared drive and a better layout than either garden alone. Each owner keeps their house, and a written agreement sets out how the value is shared fairly.

How do I find out if a lane behind my Richmond 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.

Other options in Richmond upon Thames

Tandem and landlocked plots near Richmond upon Thames

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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