Corner plots and side gardens in Devon

Owners of corner and side plots in Devon often face a simple choice: keep a large side garden they rarely use, or turn it into a new home. The first question is whether a home would fit the street; the second is whether you’d rather sell the land or see the home built yourself.

We answer the first question for free. For the second, we explain each route plainly, from an outright sale subject to survey, title and contract to a full design and build with a written quote. You’re under no obligation at any point before you sign.

New detached brick house on a corner plot beside an older semi-detached house
Nation
England
National planning policy
NPPF
Planning authorities
10
City
Exeter

Before you start in Devon

Street character drives most decisions on corner plots in Devon. Councils compare a proposed home with the houses either side: where the front wall sits, how high the roof is, what it’s built from and how much space is left at the sides. National policy in the NPPF and each council’s Local Plan both stress fitting in, and many councils have adopted design guidance on infill. We read the policies for your address and photograph the street before drawing anything, so the home is designed to belong there.

Planning authorities covering Devon include East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon Council, Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council, West Devon Borough Council.

How it works

  1. Free plot appraisal

    We look at your plot on maps, the title plan and street views, check planning history nearby and talk it through with you. If a home beside yours looks possible we visit. No cost, no obligation.

  2. Read the street

    We measure the plot and record the building line, the gaps between houses, roof heights, materials and boundary walls, then check where a new drive could go and what drivers would be able to see from it.

  3. Choose your route

    Sell the plot outright, sell it subject to planning, or grant an option while you keep your house. Or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a new home on it.

  4. Design and planning

    We draw a home that sits in the street rather than fighting it, usually take pre-application advice, and submit the application. The council consults neighbours and decides; small schemes often take a few months.

  5. Sale or build

    For a sale, your solicitor handles the transfer of part and any release from your lender. For a build, a written quote follows design and survey, then we build, arrange the warranty and hand over.

Corner and side plots in towns across Devon

Questions about corner and side plots in Devon

Can I sell a side plot in Devon without planning?

Yes. A direct purchase can happen before any permission exists, on the usual basis of survey, title and contract. Alternatively, a sale subject to planning lets us fund the application in the normal way, and if the council refuses, the land stays yours. Your free appraisal sets out which suits your plot.

Do you assess corner and side plots in Devon?

Yes, anywhere in Devon; we cover the whole of England and Wales. A few photos of the side of your house and the street, plus your address, are enough for us to run a free desktop check and tell you whether a visit makes sense.

What design rules apply to side plot homes in Devon?

National policy, the NPPF, sets the broad tests, and each council adds its own plan and design guidance. Expect questions on building lines, spacing, roof height, materials, parking, bins and light to neighbouring windows. The detail varies by council, so we always check locally.

Can you build a new home in my garden in Devon 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.

Other options in Devon

Everything we cover in Devon

Find out what your garden could become

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