What can be built on the land next to a house?
What can be built next door depends first on that plot’s PLU zone and the rules for that zone: height, siting in relation to the boundaries, ground coverage. In a U zone, a building is in principle possible within those limits; in an A or N zone it is tightly restricted. The Civil Code adds distances for views and planting. But only the mairie, for each application, decides whether a specific project is authorised.
Start with the neighbouring plot’s zone
On the Géoportail de l’urbanisme, click not only on your parcel but also on those around it. A neighbouring garden in a U zone, a field in an AU zone or a gap between two houses are all plots where a project may appear. Conversely, surroundings in an A or N zone, or covered by a protected woodland, are unlikely to become denser.
| Neighbour’s zone | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| U | Buildings possible within the rules; garden divisions are frequent |
| AU | An area intended for development, often under an OAP |
| A or N | New buildings very limited |
What may change around a house also shows in ZACs and reserved sites and challenging a permit. You can see how a dossier presents it for one address in the sample dossier.
Height, setback, coverage: the rules that matter
The zone’s rules generally set:
- the maximum height, in metres or number of storeys, sometimes different at the boundary;
- siting in relation to the side boundaries: on the boundary, or at a minimum distance, often linked to height;
- siting in relation to the street: on the building line or set back;
- the maximum ground coverage and the share of green space or open soil;
- external appearance: roofs, materials, fences.
These rules vary between communes and zones. A setback rule equal to half the height, for example, exists only if the rules provide for it. Read the rules for the exact zone of the neighbouring plot, not those of your own parcel.
What the Civil Code adds
Independently of the PLU, the Civil Code governs some relations between neighbours. A direct view, such as a window or balcony looking straight onto the neighbouring land, may only be opened 1.90 metres from the boundary (art. 678); an oblique view, 0.60 metres (art. 679). Trees over two metres tall must in principle be planted two metres from the boundary, others 0.50 metres, unless local rules or custom say otherwise (art. 671).
These rules are private law: the mairie does not check them when granting a permit, which is issued subject to the rights of third parties. A dispute over a view is settled between neighbours, with a conciliator or before the civil courts.
What you cannot know in advance
The rules say what is possible, not what will be done. A neighbouring owner may never build, or may file an application tomorrow that uses everything the rules allow. The mairie examines each application and decides; the PLU itself may change after a revision. Only a filed project, visible at the mairie or on a notice, gives a concrete indication.
Seeing a neighbour’s building permit
Before buying
- Spot the empty or lightly built plots around the house on the map, and their zone.
- Read the height and setback allowed in those zones.
- Check whether there is an OAP or a reserved site in the district.
- Ask the mairie whether applications have been filed on the neighbouring parcels.
- If the neighbouring plot could be divided, look at how that would work.
Frequently asked questions
Can the neighbour build on the boundary?
It depends on the rules of their zone: some PLUs allow it, others require a setback. The mairie applies the rules to each application.
Can a permit ignore a view over my garden?
The permit is granted subject to third-party rights; the Civil Code view distances are enforced before the civil courts, not by the mairie.
How do you know if a project has already been filed next door?
Through the display at the mairie, the list some communes publish, or by asking the planning department.
Can a plot in an N zone become buildable?
Only if the PLU changes, after a procedure with a public inquiry. Ask the mairie whether a revision is under way.
Sources
- Géoportail de l’urbanisme
- Service-public.fr: planning questions before building
- Service-public.fr: planting trees and hedges
- Civil Code, arts 671, 678 and 679
ScanAdresse is a private service by SRI Group BV (VAT BE1037052239), not connected to any public authority: it brings together public data, with the source and date of every item.
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