24/08/2026
Land is scarce and valuable so we should use it as efficiently as possible.
Over the next few days, we’ll have a look at some ways of stretching land use to make the most of existing sites and resources. This can save building on our valuable productive farmland, make the most of existing opportunities and, interestingly, create some clever and desirable dwellings to meet housing needs.
First is infill development, where there is vacant space between buildings to accommodate a dwelling.
Here’s an example from a 2024 application to insert a 2-bedroom house into the rear yard behind a building on Prestbury Road in Pittville, although the new dwelling would face onto Malden Road.
It makes the most of the available space and turns a nondescript backyard into something neat and smart. By turning the house upside down, the bathrooms are kept downstairs, satisfying the building regulation for a WC on the entry floor and thus maximising living space upstairs.
We thought it was a clever design and its simplicity would have slotted in well to this part of the Conservation Area but it was rejected by the planners. Would it gain consent now under the latest planning guidance? Would you give it consent?
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