- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 7
- City
- Chichester
How councils in West Sussex look at it
Where a plot in West Sussex has no workable access on its own, the neighbours often hold the answer. A strip of a side garden can be bought, a right of way can be granted, or two or three gardens can be put together so one shared drive serves them all. Each owner keeps their house, and the value is shared under a written agreement. We can approach neighbours with you, and nobody is ever pressed to take part.
Planning authorities covering West Sussex include Adur District Council, Arun District Council, Chichester District Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council, Worthing 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 West Sussex
- Crawley
- Worthing
- Bognor Regis
- Littlehampton
- Horsham
- Haywards Heath
- Chichester
- Burgess Hill
- East Grinstead
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Lancing
Questions about tandem and landlocked plots in West Sussex
How wide must a drive be for a new home in West Sussex?
There’s no single figure. In England, fire guidance looks for a route about 3.7 metres wide with 3.1-metre gateways, or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service. In Wales, sprinklers are required in all new houses. Highways and bin collection add their own checks.
Can landlocked land in West Sussex 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.
What is a ransom strip, and are they common in West Sussex?
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.
Can neighbours in West Sussex combine their gardens?
Yes. Putting two or more adjoining back gardens together can allow one shared access and a better layout than separate plots. Each owner keeps their house. The owners usually sign a collaboration agreement, with an equalisation clause so that value is shared fairly even though only one garden provides the access. Each household should take its own legal advice.