- Planning authority
- London Borough of Sutton
- Postcodes
- SM1, SM2, SM3, SM5, SM6
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
What the council will look at in Sutton
A finished home in a joint venture is sold, or handed back to you, into a local market that includes Sutton and places such as Banstead, Ewell and Merton. Who might buy or rent it shapes the design: the number of bedrooms, parking and garden size all affect what it’s worth and how quickly it sells.
We talk that through with you before the design is fixed. Value depends on location, size, access, the permission and the finish, so we won’t quote figures before an appraisal, but we will explain what drives them and how the London Borough of Sutton is likely to view the size of home proposed.
What happens next in Sutton
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 the London Borough of Sutton.
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.
Planning and build
We fund and manage the planning application, Building Regulations approval and construction, reporting costs and progress to you at agreed points. The council decides the application, and building control checks the work.
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
- Your return isn’t fixed. It depends on build costs, sale prices and timing, unless you choose a structure with a fixed element.
- 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.
Sutton: questions to ask
Does my land stay in my name during a joint venture in Sutton?
It can. One option keeps the land in your name until an agreed stage, with us building under a licence. Another transfers it earlier with a legal charge in your favour. Your solicitor advises which suits you, bearing in mind that a lender funding the build will want security too.
Will a joint venture in Sutton 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.
Who decides planning for a joint venture plot in Sutton?
The London Borough of Sutton decides, using the council’s Local Plan and national policy in the NPPF. We prepare and fund the application and deal with the council’s questions, but no developer can promise the outcome. If planning is refused, you keep your land, and in the usual structure the planning costs stay with us.
How long does a garden joint venture in Sutton 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 Sutton
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Sell part of your garden
- Garage courts and yards
- Build a new home in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot

