Backland Development
0800 088 6248Free to call Free plot appraisal

Building in a large rear garden in Margate

A home at the bottom of a Margate garden is backland development: building on land behind existing houses that has little or no street frontage of its own. It differs from infill, where a home fills a gap in the street, and it gets a closer look because of privacy and access.

That closer look is why a free appraisal comes first. We check depth, levels, trees, drainage and the title, sketch a realistic layout and explain what Thanet District Council is likely to focus on. Then you decide whether to sell the land outright, sell it subject to planning, or have a new home built for you.

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Overhead view of three long, narrow back gardens with lawns, a greenhouse, vegetable beds and sheds
Planning authority
Thanet District Council
Postcodes
CT8, CT9
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.3 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Kent

How it plays out in Margate

Wherever your home sits within CT8 and CT9, the street around it shapes what’s possible. Some roads already have houses built behind the originals, while elsewhere the gardens stay unbroken from end to end. Councils read that pattern when judging a new home, so we look at your surroundings as well as your plot.

The same applies if you live just outside Margate, in nearby places such as Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Deal. The first step doesn’t change: a free look at depth, access, levels and what a new home would mean for the people next door.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Margate: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.3 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.4 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Margate on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.3 m. In December the sun is only about 15° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

From first call to decision

An enquiry about a Margate garden can start with a short call and a few photos of the garden and the side of the house. A desktop check follows, then a site visit if it’s worth one. If you choose to sell, we agree heads of terms and your solicitor takes it from there. If you choose to build, we move on to a measured survey and design, and a written quote follows.

  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

  • Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.
  • Surveys and drawings cost money before any decision. On a subject-to-planning sale we normally fund them; on a build you do.
  • A covenant, a mortgage, a public sewer or a protected tree can slow a scheme down or stop it altogether.

Your questions, answered for Margate

Does it cost anything to have my Margate 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.

Will my neighbours in Margate 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.

Who decides planning for a home in a Margate back garden?

Thanet District Council decides, using the council’s Local Plan, national policy and any local design guidance. It consults neighbours and other bodies before reaching a decision. We prepare the application and deal with the planning officer, but the outcome is always the council’s call.

How do I find out if my Margate 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 Margate

Large rear gardens near Margate

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