- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 10
- City
- St Albans
What to know in Hertfordshire
Rights of way are often the hidden issue on landlocked plots in Hertfordshire. A right in an old deed may cover foot access only, or one house, or agricultural use. A right gained by long use generally only covers the kind of use that created it. Before any planning money is spent, we ask your solicitor to confirm what the title says, who owns each part of the route, and whether a ransom strip sits anywhere along it.
Planning authorities covering Hertfordshire include Broxbourne Borough Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Hertfordshire District Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, St Albans City and District Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We start with the access, not the plot: title plans, rights of way, the width on the ground and the route to the road. It’s a desktop check and a conversation, with a site visit if it looks viable, at no cost.
Title and access check
With your solicitor we confirm who owns every strip between the plot and the road, what rights already exist and whether they cover a new home. Any ransom strip or missing right shows up at this stage.
Secure the way in
If a right of way needs widening, a strip needs buying or a neighbour needs to come in, we agree the approach with you and negotiate it, so the terms are settled before planning money is spent.
Planning application
We design a layout that answers the access, privacy and neighbour questions councils ask about tandem and backland plots, then apply. The council consults neighbours and decides, and the decision is always the council’s.
Sale or build
Depending on the route you chose, the sale completes through a transfer of part, or you keep the land and we give a written quote for building the new home after design and survey.
Tandem and landlocked plots in towns across Hertfordshire
- Watford
- Hemel Hempstead
- Stevenage
- St Albans
- Welwyn Garden City
- Cheshunt
- Hatfield
- Bishop's Stortford
- Borehamwood
- Hitchin
- Hoddesdon
- Letchworth Garden City
- Harpenden
- Bushey
- Hertford
- Rickmansworth
- Potters Bar
- Berkhamsted
- Ware
- Royston
Questions about tandem and landlocked plots in Hertfordshire
What is a ransom strip, and are they common in Hertfordshire?
A ransom strip is land controlling access to a plot, whose owner can ask for payment before allowing anyone across. They can turn up anywhere, often as verges, strips kept back by developers, or parts of private lanes. We check for them at the appraisal stage.
Will you approach my neighbours in Hertfordshire about access?
If you want us to, yes. We agree the approach with you first, explain the proposal clearly to the neighbour, and never pressure anyone. Any deal is written down and both sides take their own legal advice.
Can landlocked land in Hertfordshire ever be built on?
Yes, if a legal access can be secured. That might mean buying a strip, agreeing a right of way, using a back lane, or combining with a neighbour. Planning permission alone doesn’t give a right to cross someone else’s land.
Which national rules apply to a new home in Hertfordshire?
Garden schemes here sit under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with the local detail coming from the council’s Local Plan. New homes must also meet the Building Regulations. That affects things such as fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). On drainage you’ll usually need a drainage plan the council will want to see, and land purchases fall under Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). We check which rules apply to your plot as part of the free appraisal.