- Planning authority
- Worthing Borough Council
- Postcodes
- BN11, BN12, BN13, BN14
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.1 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- West Sussex
What the council will look at in Worthing
Getting into the plot often decides whether a joint venture in Worthing is worth doing. Worthing Borough 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 BN11, BN12, BN13 and BN14.
The next steps, locally
Before any agreement for a Worthing garden, we recommend three conversations: one with us about the scheme and structure, one with your own solicitor about security for your land and your exit rights, and one with a tax adviser about how the deal affects you. Then decide in your own time, with no obligation from the appraisal.
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.
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.
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
- You’ll live next to a building site, and the new home’s design affects your own house and garden.
- We’re a new brand within the S&K Group, so ask for open-book reporting and check every protection in writing.
- Tax can differ from a simple sale of garden land, so take advice from a tax adviser before you sign.
Worthing: questions to ask
Who decides planning for a joint venture plot in Worthing?
Worthing Borough Council 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.
Can I do a joint venture on my garden in Worthing without paying anything?
In the usual structure, yes. You contribute the land, and we fund design, planning, construction and sale. You may still have your own costs, such as tax or your mortgage lender’s charges, so ask your solicitor and tax adviser to go through them before you sign.
Will a joint venture in Worthing 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 Worthing 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 Worthing
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Build a new home in your garden
- Corner and side plots
- Bungalows on large plots
- Large rear gardens
- Build a home for family in your garden

