Backland development in Chichester

Building a new home behind your own house in Chichester is a big decision, and the right answer isn’t always to build. For some owners, selling the plot and staying put is simplest. For others, keeping the land and adding a home to sell, let or give to family makes more sense.

We offer both kinds of route, so our advice isn’t steered towards one of them. A free garden plot appraisal looks at access, space, title, trees and the planning position with Chichester District Council, and then we talk through which options suit your plot and your plans. There’s no charge, no pressure and nothing to sign until you’re ready, with your own solicitor beside you.

Planning authority
Chichester District Council
Postcodes
PO19, PO20
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Noon sun, 21 December
About 16°
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
West Sussex

The kinds of plot we look at in Chichester

In Chichester we look at most kinds of land behind and beside houses. That includes long back gardens, the classic backland plot; wide side gardens and corner plots, which often have their own frontage; garage courts, lock-up blocks and old yards; land with narrow, shared or no access; and bungalows on large plots, which can sometimes take a second home alongside or be replaced with several new ones. Size matters, but access usually matters more, and the free appraisal checks both.

Planning and light in Chichester

The rules for a new home in Chichester come from three levels. Nationally there is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Locally, the council’s Local Plan sets the policies Chichester District Council applies, alongside its own guidance on design, parking and gardens. Then the build itself must meet the Building Regulations. That brings in practical matters 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), and rainwater drainage usually calls for a drainage plan the council will want to see. Any purchase of the plot falls under Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). We work through each level for your plot at the start, so there are fewer late surprises once the planning application is under way.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Chichester: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 16 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.1 m21 Dec, noon: sun 16°, shadow 17.8 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Chichester on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.1 m. In December the sun is only about 16° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

What we can do in Chichester

Sell or partner

Design and build

By plot type

What happens next

Getting a first view of your plot in Chichester costs nothing. Send us the address through the form, or give us a call, and we’ll check access, size, title and the planning picture from our desk. If it looks promising, we’ll visit, explain the routes that could work and put the main terms in writing before you’re asked to decide anything.

Questions about garden plots in Chichester

Do you look at garage courts and yards in Chichester?

Yes. Garage courts, lock-up blocks, old yards and outbuildings behind houses can sometimes take a new home, especially where a vehicle access already exists. We check who owns the access, what rights others have over it and what the ground was used for, as part of the free appraisal.

Can you build a house in my back garden in Chichester that I keep?

Yes. Our design and build route covers the survey, design, planning application, Building Regulations, construction and handover, while the land and the new home stay yours. You can sell it, let it or use it for family. You’ll get a written quote once the design and survey are done, and any earlier price range is a guide only.

How much is my garden plot in Chichester worth?

There’s no honest figure without looking at the plot. Value depends on location, size, access, title and planning, and costs such as a long drive or difficult ground come straight off what the land is worth. Our free appraisal looks at all of that before we talk about price.

What happens if planning is refused for a plot in Chichester?

If you agreed a sale subject to planning, the contract doesn’t complete and you keep your land. We’ll then look at the reasons Chichester District Council gave and tell you honestly whether a revised application, an appeal or stopping is the sensible choice. Nothing about your own house changes.

Nearby

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.