Garden Plots and Backland Development in Norfolk

Nation: England
Planning authorities: 7
Towns we cover: 9
City: Norwich

Sell, partner or build in Norfolk

Selling and building aren’t the only choices; you can also sit somewhere in between. A joint venture lets you put in the land while, in the usual structure, we fund and manage design, planning and the build, with you sharing in the outcome, for example through a share of the sale proceeds or a new home back. Owners in Norfolk who want less involvement can sell outright, and those who want more can keep the land and have us build for them.

Sell or partner

Design and build

By plot type

The planning picture in Norfolk

Planning applications in Norfolk are decided by the council for your address. The planning authorities covering Norfolk include Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland Council, Broadland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, North Norfolk District Council and other councils, and each judges garden schemes against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Officers usually look hardest at access, privacy, daylight, the character of the street and the garden left for the existing house. Many councils use separation guides of around 21 metres between facing back windows, though your council’s own guidance decides. We read those policies for your plot before recommending anything, and the final decision is always the council’s.

Planning authorities: Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland Council, Broadland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, North Norfolk District Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk Council.

Towns in Norfolk

Questions about garden plots in Norfolk

Can neighbours in Norfolk 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.

Can you build a new home in my garden in Norfolk for me to keep?

Yes. Through our design and build route we survey your plot, design a new home with you, apply for planning and, once permission is granted, build it. You keep the land and the new home, to sell, let or use for family. You get a written quote after design and survey, and any earlier guide price is a guide only.

Do I need my own solicitor to sell a plot in Norfolk?

Yes, always. Your solicitor checks the contract, deals with the transfer of part at HM Land Registry and asks your mortgage lender to release the plot if the house is mortgaged. On option and promotion agreements we cover your reasonable legal fees, with the cap agreed in heads of terms before work starts.

How long does planning take for a garden plot in Norfolk?

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.

Backland development in Norfolk