Building in a large rear garden in Blackpool

A home at the bottom of a Blackpool 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 Blackpool 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.

Overhead view of three long, narrow back gardens with lawns, a greenhouse, vegetable beds and sheds
Planning authority
Blackpool Council
Postcodes
FY1, FY2, FY3, FY4, FY5
Noon sun, 21 March
About 36°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.8 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Lancashire

Before you decide in Blackpool

The right layout for a long Blackpool garden depends on depth, width and light. With the noon sun only about 13° 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 Blackpool Council’s likely concerns, then show you which are realistic and which aren’t worth pursuing.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Blackpool: about 36 degrees on 21 March and 13 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 36°, shadow 6.8 m21 Dec, noon: sun 13°, shadow 22.1 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Blackpool on 21 March sits about 36° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.8 m. In December the sun is only about 13° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

The next steps, locally

Send us your address in Blackpool and a rough idea of what you’d like. We check the planning history around you and the policies Blackpool Council applies, and look for anything in the title that could get in the way. If the garden passes those checks, we arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain each route in plain terms.

  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

  • A shorter garden changes how your own house feels to live in and may affect what it is worth.
  • A covenant, a mortgage, a public sewer or a protected tree can slow a scheme down or stop it altogether.
  • Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.

Questions about garden plots in Blackpool

How long does planning take for a garden home in Blackpool?

It varies. Small schemes often take a few months from submission to decision, and longer if surveys, amendments or extra consultation are needed. Pre-application advice and early surveys add time at the start but can save time later. We won’t promise a date, because the council sets the pace.

Can I sell the end of my garden in Blackpool 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.

Can you build a home for my family in my garden in Blackpool?

Yes. If you keep the land, we can design the home, apply for planning permission, build it once permission is granted and arrange the structural warranty lenders usually expect. You receive a written quote after design and survey. If the home is for a relative who will share your kitchen and front door, an annexe may suit better.

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

Blackpool 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.

Other options in Blackpool

Large rear gardens near Blackpool

Find out what your garden could become

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