Backland Development
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Building in a large rear garden in Swanscombe

A home at the bottom of a Swanscombe 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 Dartford Borough 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
Dartford Borough Council
Postcodes
DA9, DA11
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.3 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Kent

Before you decide in Swanscombe

Every application for a new home in a Swanscombe back garden is decided by Dartford Borough Council, which weighs it against the council’s Local Plan, national policy and any local design guidance it has adopted. Those documents often set out separation distances, minimum garden sizes and how homes behind the street should relate to it.

We read the relevant policies for your address before suggesting a layout, and where it helps we ask the council for pre-application advice. That way the scheme you see reflects what is likely to be acceptable locally, not a generic drawing.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Swanscombe: 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 18.5 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Swanscombe 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 Swanscombe 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. Sale or build

    If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer of part and your lender’s release of the plot. If you build, we give a written quote after design and survey, then build and hand over the new home.

Worth checking early

  • 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.
  • A shorter garden changes how your own house feels to live in and may affect what it is worth.

Swanscombe: questions to ask

Does it cost anything to have my Swanscombe 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.

How do I find out if my Swanscombe 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.

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

Dartford Borough 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.

Will my neighbours in Swanscombe 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.

Other options in Swanscombe

Large rear gardens near Swanscombe

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