- Planning authority
- Gwynedd Council
- Postcodes
- LL55
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 37°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.7 m
- Planning plan
- LDP
- County
- Gwynedd
What shapes a plot in Caernarfon
A home placed behind another changes the light as well as the traffic. In Caernarfon the sun peaks at roughly 37° in late March and barely 13° 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. Gwynedd Council decides, and its own guidance on separation distances sets the gaps it expects.
How we’d take it forward in Caernarfon
Call us or use the form and tell us roughly where the land is and how you reach it now. We check the title and the planning history around Caernarfon, then come back to you. If the access can’t be secured on sensible terms, we’ll say so plainly and early, and there is nothing to pay for the appraisal.
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
- Long or narrow drives can mean extra cost for sprinklers, passing places, lighting or a bin collection point.
- 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.
Your questions, answered for Caernarfon
Is a sprinkler system needed for a home at the end of a long drive in Caernarfon?
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.
Could my neighbour and I in Caernarfon 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 Caernarfon 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.
Can I get planning permission in Caernarfon before the access is sorted?
You can apply for planning on land you don’t own, as long as the owners are formally notified. But permission doesn’t give a right to cross anyone’s land. Most of the time it makes sense to agree access terms first, so the permission can actually be used.
Other options in Caernarfon
- Garden plot option agreement
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Corner and side plots
- Build a new home in your garden
- Large rear gardens
- Combine gardens with your neighbours