- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 2
- County town
- Northampton
Getting it right in Northamptonshire
Access width is where many plots in Northamptonshire are won or lost. In England, building control looks for fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough), and bins need a store residents can reach easily and a lorry can get near. Highways officers then look at visibility where the drive meets the road. A side passage that suits a wheelie bin may fall well short of what a new home needs, so we measure it early, before a layout is drawn, and tell you if the gap simply isn’t enough.
Planning authorities covering Northamptonshire include North Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council.
How it works
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.
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.
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.
Tandem and landlocked plots in towns across Northamptonshire
Questions about tandem and landlocked plots in Northamptonshire
Do councils in Northamptonshire allow tandem development?
Each council decides case by case, using its own plan and design guidance. Tandem layouts are generally treated with care because of noise, headlights and privacy for the house in front. A well-designed scheme with a good gap from windows and a low-profile home has a better chance.
What does a free appraisal cover for a plot with difficult access in Northamptonshire?
It looks at the title plan, existing rights of way, who owns each part of the route, the width on the ground and the planning picture. We begin from maps, the title and the planning record, talk it over with you, and only then visit if the land seems workable. You pay nothing and owe nothing.
How wide must a drive be for a new home in Northamptonshire?
There’s no single figure. In England, fire guidance looks for a route about 3.7 metres wide with 3.1-metre gateways, or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service. In Wales, sprinklers are required in all new houses. Highways and bin collection add their own checks.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Northamptonshire?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Northamptonshire include North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.
Other options in Northamptonshire
- Garage courts and yards in Northamptonshire
- Combine gardens with your neighbours in Northamptonshire
- Garden plot option agreement in Northamptonshire
- Planning permission for a garden plot in Northamptonshire
- Build a new home in your garden in Northamptonshire
- Plot feasibility and design in Northamptonshire