NEW homes are springing up on pockets of brownfield land in both smart and scruffy parts of London. Wander around any part of the capital and the chances are you will stumble across a new-build house carved out of an old car park, back garden or spare scrap of land. These “infill” developments are evidence of the Government's determination that at least 60 per cent of new housing should be built on brownfield sites.

One of the best examples of this trend is in Wandsworth, southwest London, where nine old lock-up garages formerly owned by the local council have been replaced by a low-rise designer home with glass walls.

The site is surrounded by period houses on a quiet residential street. As a result of the proximity of these neighbouring homes, planners ruled that the height of the new building could be no more than 4m (13ft) to avoid overlooking. The developer, Oliver Woodworth, came up with an ingenious solution: go underground. Only one of the building's two floors is above ground, and that storey is low and extensive. The five-bedroom property is also hidden from view behind a set of electric gates at the end of a long drive, giving it a high degree of privacy.

Oliver Woodworth is a two-man firm comprising Jo Oliver, an ex-City analyst, and Nick Woodworth, a former captain with the Royal Engineers who has served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands. They joined forces in 2005 to develop high-end, modern homes in southwest London. Initially, they bought some land in Stockwell but aborted their plans after encountering what they considered to be a rather unhelpful council planning department. They decided to sell up and look for another site.

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So when they found the site of former council garages in Wandsworth, they jumped at the chance. “We know the area well, as we both have lived here for years,” explains Oliver. The pair were spurred on by a few informal meetings with the local planning office at Wandsworth Borough Council. “They seemed really transparent and progressive, happy to talk through our ideas and advise on some of the problems we faced with height restrictions.”

Their idea to go underground found favour, and planning consent for the nearly 5,000sqft property, Cedar House, was eventually granted in March 2006. But it was not all plain sailing from this point. The site had five 25ft-tall trees that protected the neighbours' privacy - something they did not want to lose. “There was a lot of diplomacy needed for this build,” Woodworth admits. “We brought in a tree specialist to confirm the cluster of large trees were on their last legs and about to fall down, and compro-mises were made with fencing and roof styles.”

The problems did not stop with the neighbours. Probably the most significant challenge presented itself when they fell out with the main contractors, who came from Berlin, last June. Since then Woodworth, who worked as a project manager for Berkeley Homes after leaving the Army, has supervised the build. He used his old contacts to finish the job.

The pair are pleased with the result. The house is designed for flexible living - some rooms have moveable walls - and provides an incredible light-filled space. The ground floor consists of a dining room, drawing room, open-plan kitchen and family room with an en suite master bedroom and dressing room. All the main rooms are partly made up of floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto the secure courtyard gardens, created by a landscape designer. The sense of light is extended by a clean white finish throughout: the kitchen has white Effetti Italian units and there are limestone ceramic tiles in all the reception rooms.

But it is only when you head downstairs that you realise how impressive the house is. There is no feeling of being underground because there is as much light in the four lower bedrooms and games room as in the rooms above ground. The cinema room and bathroom are the only rooms without any natural light. All bedrooms have access to the lower courtyard, and there is plumbing for en suites if so desired.

Technology is of the highest quality. All the main rooms are fitted with audio speakers and there is wiring provided to put in plasma screens. A 50in plasma screen is installed in the family room, a television is set within the wall tiles of the master bedroom's ensuite bathroom, and the cinema room has a 110in fixed screen.

There is an added bonus of the gated entrance and drive, providing off-street parking for several cars. Oliver and Woodworth are not aiming at any particular type of buyer, although they think it would suit someone seeking a lifestyle choice more than the location. The house is the first of what they hope amp;#33;will be a succession of beautiful, flexible and functional homes. “We've learnt a lot over the past couple of years,”

Oliver admits. “There were some tough times, but we are very happy with the end result.” They already have their sights on their next project - another brownfield site in Wandsworth.

Cedar House is for sale for £4.25 million through Knight Frank: 020-8682 7777.

HOW TO NEGOTIATE THE PLANNING MAZE

Ask anyone who has tried to obtain planning permission and you will hear exasperated stories of rejection and confusion. Ken Dijksman is a former planning officer and author of The Planning Game, a guide to obtaining planning consent. He says that there are no clear-cut rules or regulations for applications, but offers some tips:

Try to avoid the planning process. Find out what you can do without planning permission. The changes you can make vary depending on your house type. But if these suffice, you will prevent a lot of stress.

Be flexible. If you do need to apply for planning permission, be prepared to negotiate. Your aim is to gain approval so be prepared to change your plans. Remember, once you have permission, it cannot be taken away.

Be patient. The process takes up to eight weeks. Local authorities used to be flexible with the timing but in the past two years the Government has tightened the rules, penalising authorities who do not give a decision within two months. Unfortunately, this allows less time for negotiation and a higher chance of the local authority rejecting the application.

Make friends with the neighbours. They are the main reason permission is declined. If you keep your neighbours informed from the start, they might be more amenable to your changes.

Act now. The Government is introducing a Planning Bill, under which the housholder's right to appeal will be removed.

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