- Planning authority
- Mole Valley District Council
- Postcodes
- KT18, KT21, KT22, KT23
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Surrey
What the council will look at in Leatherhead
As the neighbour, you’ll live with the new home’s shadow. Picture the spring equinox in Leatherhead: at midday the sun climbs to about 39°, and a new home with 5 m eaves shades roughly 6.2 m of ground behind it. Near the winter solstice, with the sun at around 15°, that shade stretches much further.
In a joint venture you approve the layout before the application goes in, so we can show you where the shadow will fall on your garden at different times of year. Keeping the eaves low or setting the home further back can make a real difference.
The next steps, locally
A joint venture in Leatherhead moves through clear stages: appraisal, structure, heads of terms, development agreement, planning, build, then sale or handover. You receive progress and cost reports at agreed points. Timing depends on the council, the build and the market, so we give realistic ranges with each stage rather than fixed dates, and update them as things move.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your title plan, access, neighbouring homes and the council’s planning policies, then talk through what might be built and whether a joint venture or a simpler sale suits you better.
Choose the structure
We explain the options side by side: a share of sale proceeds, a share of profit, a home back for your land, or a land payment plus a share. You choose what fits your plans and appetite for risk.
Heads of terms
The key terms go in writing: who funds what, your share or the home you receive, how your land is protected, deadlines, open-book reporting and what happens if planning is refused or the build stalls.
Development agreement
Your own solicitor and ours turn the heads of terms into a binding agreement. Your solicitor advises on the security that fits, such as the land staying in your name until a set stage or a legal charge.
Worth checking early
- You’ll live next to a building site, and the new home’s design affects your own house and garden.
- We’re a new brand within the S&K Group, so ask for open-book reporting and check every protection in writing.
- A joint venture takes longer than any sale: planning, then building, then selling or handover.
Leatherhead: questions to ask
How long does a garden joint venture in Leatherhead usually take?
Longer than a sale, because planning, building and selling all happen before you receive your share. The council’s decision time, the build programme and the market drive the timing. We give you a realistic range for each stage after the appraisal rather than a single promised date.
Can I do a joint venture on my garden in Leatherhead without paying anything?
In the usual structure, yes. You contribute the land, and we fund design, planning, construction and sale. You may still have your own costs, such as tax or your mortgage lender’s charges, so ask your solicitor and tax adviser to go through them before you sign.
What if the build on my Leatherhead plot runs late?
The development agreement should set long-stop dates and say which delays are acceptable, such as severe weather, and which aren’t. If a deadline passes without good reason, you should be able to end the agreement. Your solicitor will check your land and share are protected if that happens.
Can I take a new home back instead of cash in Leatherhead?
Yes, if the plot can support it. Under a homes-for-land joint venture, one of the finished homes on your plot, or the only one, is transferred to you with its own title and paperwork. The agreement fixes the specification and the timetable.
Other options in Leatherhead
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Garden plot option agreement
- Sell subject to planning
- Combine gardens with your neighbours