Inspiration and advice for your building project
Search:
Small Plot Could Prevent Build
We’re considering self-building a bungalow on the corner of our plot. We live in an end-of-terrace house and the potential building plot is 10 x 12m. The new build will be within our boundary, but it would be close to a railway line. Is there any legislation regarding this?
Mark & Sharon
1 answer
There are no particular rules regarding the proximity of the railway. You would have to demonstrate that you had or proposed to take measures to mitigate the noise factor, but that’s not the difficult bit and that’s not, I believe, your main stumbling block. The tiny size of the plot, and building something which is not in keeping with local vernacular, is.
You describe your home as a terraced house, so why build a bungalow? A two storey home will provide twice the room, and complement the neighbouring terraces.
The new Government has removed the classification of gardens as brownfield. In most cases it won’t make that much difference, although there is no longer a presumption in favour of the development of garden land. Yet no presumption against has been put in place either. However, your plot should meet set criteria – proving there is useful amenity space for both the new and the old house for instance – and should sit within the settlement boundary.