- Planning authority
- East Cambridgeshire District Council
- Postcodes
- CB7
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.5 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Cambridgeshire
Before you decide in Ely
Getting into the plot often decides whether a joint venture in Ely is worth doing. East Cambridgeshire District Council will look at the width of the drive past your house, visibility where it meets the road, and the effect of passing cars on the homes either side, including yours.
Bins and emergency access count too, because the build has to allow for 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). If a narrow drive means extra cost or a weaker scheme, that affects the shared result, so we cost access properly before suggesting terms for homes in CB7.
The next steps, locally
Once you’ve chosen a structure, we draft heads of terms setting out who funds what, your share or the home you receive, deadlines and protections. Your own solicitor reviews them and the development agreement that follows. Only then do we commission surveys and design, agree the key layout points with you, and submit the application to East Cambridgeshire District Council.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your title plan, access, neighbouring homes and the council’s planning policies, then talk through what might be built and whether a joint venture or a simpler sale suits you better.
Choose the structure
We explain the options side by side: a share of sale proceeds, a share of profit, a home back for your land, or a land payment plus a share. You choose what fits your plans and appetite for risk.
Development agreement
Your own solicitor and ours turn the heads of terms into a binding agreement. Your solicitor advises on the security that fits, such as the land staying in your name until a set stage or a legal charge.
Sale or handover
The new homes are sold and the proceeds are split as agreed through the solicitors, or your new home is handed over with its warranty, title and certificates in place.
Worth checking early
- You’ll live next to a building site, and the new home’s design affects your own house and garden.
- Tax can differ from a simple sale of garden land, so take advice from a tax adviser before you sign.
- We’re a new brand within the S&K Group, so ask for open-book reporting and check every protection in writing.
Questions about garden plots in Ely
Can I take a new home back instead of cash in Ely?
Yes, if the plot can support it. Under a homes-for-land joint venture, one of the finished homes on your plot, or the only one, is transferred to you with its own title and paperwork. The agreement fixes the specification and the timetable.
What if the build on my Ely plot runs late?
The development agreement should set long-stop dates and say which delays are acceptable, such as severe weather, and which aren’t. If a deadline passes without good reason, you should be able to end the agreement. Your solicitor will check your land and share are protected if that happens.
Will a joint venture in Ely affect my tax?
It may. Sharing in the development and sale of new homes can be taxed differently from a simple sale of garden land, and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) or VAT may arise depending on the structure. Take advice from a tax adviser on your own position before you commit.
How long does a garden joint venture in Ely usually take?
Longer than a sale, because planning, building and selling all happen before you receive your share. The council’s decision time, the build programme and the market drive the timing. We give you a realistic range for each stage after the appraisal rather than a single promised date.
Other options in Ely
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Sell part of your garden
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Sell subject to planning
- Corner and side plots