Backland Development
0800 088 6248Free to call Free plot appraisal

Building in a large rear garden in Tavistock

There are two broad ways to use spare land at the back of a house in Tavistock. The first is to sell it: outright, subject to planning, through an option, or alongside your neighbours. The second is to keep it and have a new home designed, approved and built on it for you.

Which suits you depends on how much risk and involvement you want, and on what the plot can realistically take. A single bungalow, a two-storey home, or a pair sharing one drive across two gardens are all possible on the right site. We look at yours first, free of charge, and explain the trade-offs.

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Overhead view of three long, narrow back gardens with lawns, a greenhouse, vegetable beds and sheds
Planning authority
West Devon Borough Council
Postcodes
PL19
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.1 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Devon

How it plays out in Tavistock

The right layout for a long Tavistock garden depends on depth, width and light. With the noon sun only about 16° up in December, a two-storey home placed close to a neighbour’s boundary can darken their garden for much of the winter. A single-storey home, or rooms in the roof with carefully placed roof lights, often sits more comfortably.

Wider plots sometimes take two homes, and two long gardens side by side can share a single drive. We test each option against West Devon Borough Council’s likely concerns, then show you which are realistic and which aren’t worth pursuing.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Tavistock: 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 17.4 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Tavistock 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.

How we’d take it forward in Tavistock

Here’s what happens after you get in touch about a garden in Tavistock. We look at maps, the title plan and nearby planning history, then call you to talk it through. If the plot looks viable we visit, measure up and check access, levels and trees. You then get a plain summary of what could fit and the routes open to you, with no obligation to take any of them.

  1. Free plot appraisal

    We look at your garden using maps, the title plan and the planning history around you, then talk it through with you. If it looks workable we arrange a site visit. There’s no cost and no obligation.

  2. Measure and test the layout

    We check depth, the width of the way in, levels, trees, drains and what lies behind, then sketch what could realistically fit: one home, two, or nothing worth pursuing, before anyone pays for an application.

  3. Choose your route

    You decide whether to sell the plot outright, sell subject to planning, grant an option, team up with neighbours, or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a home on it.

  4. Planning application

    We prepare the drawings and reports, usually take pre-application advice, and submit. The council consults neighbours and decides. Small schemes often take a few months from submission, longer if surveys or amendments are needed.

Worth checking early

  • A shorter garden changes how your own house feels to live in and may affect what it is worth.
  • Neighbours are consulted and may object. The council decides, and a carefully designed scheme can still be refused.
  • Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.

Your questions, answered for Tavistock

Will my neighbours in Tavistock get a say?

Yes. The council consults neighbours on planning applications, and they can comment or object. Their comments are weighed alongside policy, but objections alone don’t decide the outcome. A layout that respects privacy, light and access usually gives neighbours less to worry about, so we design with them in mind.

Does it cost anything to have my Tavistock garden looked at?

No. The garden plot appraisal is free and carries no obligation. It starts with a desktop check and a conversation, and we arrange a site visit if your garden looks viable. You only commit to anything once you’ve chosen a route and seen the terms in writing.

Can I sell the end of my garden in Tavistock and keep my house?

Yes. The plot is sold as a transfer of part and gets its own title at HM Land Registry. If your house is mortgaged, your lender must agree to release the plot. We can buy suitable plots with or without planning, always subject to survey, title and contract.

How do I find out if my Tavistock garden is big enough for a house?

Ask for a free garden plot appraisal. We measure depth and the width of the way in, check what lies behind, look at levels, trees and drainage, and compare your garden with your council’s separation and garden-size guidance. Size alone rarely settles it, because access and neighbours’ privacy matter just as much.

Other options in Tavistock

Large rear gardens near Tavistock

Find out what your garden could become

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

Get my free appraisal 0800 088 6248