- Nation
- England
- Planning authorities
- 1
- Towns we cover
- 8
- City
- Bristol
Sell, partner or build in Bristol
There are two broad routes for garden land in Bristol. If you want to keep your house and step back from the development, you can sell the plot to us, with or without planning, or agree a sale subject to planning, an option, promotion or a joint venture. If you want to keep the land as well, we can design, seek planning for and build a new home on it for you to sell, let or use for family.
Sell or partner
- Sell part of your garden in Bristol
- Sell subject to planning in Bristol
- Garden plot option agreement in Bristol
- Planning promotion for your garden plot in Bristol
- Joint venture on your garden plot in Bristol
- Combine gardens with your neighbours in Bristol
Design and build
- Build a new home in your garden in Bristol
- Planning permission for a garden plot in Bristol
- Build a home for family in your garden in Bristol
- Plot feasibility and design in Bristol
By plot type
- Large rear gardens in Bristol
- Corner and side plots in Bristol
- Garage courts and yards in Bristol
- Tandem and landlocked plots in Bristol
- Bungalows on large plots in Bristol
The planning picture in Bristol
Councils in Bristol ask the same broad questions of any backland scheme, though each answers them through its own Local Plan. Can cars get in and out safely, without unfair disturbance to neighbours? Will the new home overlook anyone or take their light? Does it fit the pattern of the area, with enough garden left for both homes? Are trees, wildlife, parking, bins and drainage properly handled? On top of that, the design has to allow for fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). The scheme must also take account of biodiversity net gain rules.
Planning authorities: Bristol City Council.
Towns in Bristol
Questions about garden plots in Bristol
Which national rules apply to a new home in Bristol?
Garden schemes here sit under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with the local detail coming from the council’s Local Plan. New homes must also meet the Building Regulations. That affects things such as fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). On drainage you’ll usually need a drainage plan the council will want to see, and land purchases fall under Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). We check which rules apply to your plot as part of the free appraisal.
Can neighbours in Bristol combine their gardens?
Yes. Putting two or more adjoining back gardens together can allow one shared access and a better layout than separate plots. Each owner keeps their house. The owners usually sign a collaboration agreement, with an equalisation clause so that value is shared fairly even though only one garden provides the access. Each household should take its own legal advice.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Bristol?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Bristol include Bristol City Council. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.
How long does planning take for a garden plot in Bristol?
The council usually has eight weeks from validation to decide a small application, though extensions are often agreed, and the whole process takes longer. Surveys, design work, pre-application advice and amendments all add time, and some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year. We’ll give you a realistic timetable for your plot rather than a promise.