Backland Development
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Tandem and landlocked plots in Burton upon Trent

Shared drives, side passages and back lanes are all common ways into garden plots, around Burton upon Trent 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 East Staffordshire Borough Council 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
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Postcodes
DE13, DE14
Noon sun, 21 March
About 37°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.6 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Staffordshire

What the council will look at in Burton upon Trent

When East Staffordshire Borough Council looks at a tandem plot, the first questions are usually about the drive: how close cars come to the front house’s windows, whether headlights will sweep across rooms at night, and whether the junction with the road is safe. Planning policy in the council’s Local Plan sets the tests, and design guidance fills in the detail.

Daylight matters too. With the late-March sun climbing to just 37° at midday in Burton upon Trent, an eaves line 5 metres up on the new home would throw shade roughly 6.6 m across the ground beside it. Keeping the new home low or well back protects the gardens on both sides.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Burton upon Trent: about 37 degrees on 21 March and 14 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 37°, shadow 6.6 m21 Dec, noon: sun 14°, shadow 20.4 mExistingNew home
This section is worked out for the latitude of Burton upon Trent: around 37° of sun at midday in late March and about 14° 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

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 Burton upon Trent, 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.

  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. 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.

  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

  • A right of way that has served a garage or field for years may not legally cover a new house.
  • Buying out a ransom strip or a neighbour’s land costs money and time, and the other owner can say no.
  • 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.

Burton upon Trent: questions to ask

Will East Staffordshire Borough Council accept a shared drive for a new home in Burton upon Trent?

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 do I find out if a lane behind my Burton upon Trent 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.

How long does sorting access on a Burton upon Trent 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.

Could my neighbour and I in Burton upon Trent 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.

Other options in Burton upon Trent

Tandem and landlocked plots near Burton upon Trent

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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