- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 2
- City
- Milton Keynes
How councils in Buckinghamshire look at it
Once a garden plot in Buckinghamshire has planning permission, it can be offered to a wider pool of buyers, from small builders and developers to self-builders looking for a single plot. Promotion lets that market set the price, with a minimum price agreed with you so the plot can’t be sold too cheaply without your consent. What a plot is worth depends on its location, size, access and the permission itself, which is why we don’t quote figures before an appraisal.
Planning authorities covering Buckinghamshire include Buckinghamshire Council, Milton Keynes City Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We check your title plan, access, the surrounding gardens and the policies in the council’s Local Plan as a desktop exercise, then talk it through with you. If it looks viable, we visit. No cost and no obligation.
Heads of terms
We set out the deal in writing: the term, how our fee works, the cap on planning costs we can recover, the minimum price, the marketing approach and the cap on your reasonable legal fees that we cover.
Agreement signed
Your solicitor and ours turn the heads of terms into a promotion agreement. It’s usually protected by an entry on your title, and if your house is mortgaged, your lender is asked to consent early.
We apply for planning
We commission the surveys and drawings, take pre-application advice where it helps, submit the application and deal with the council’s questions. You pay nothing at this stage, and the decision is the council’s.
Marketing and sale
With permission granted, the plot is marketed as the agreement sets out. You see the offers and approve the buyer, and the plot can’t be sold below the minimum price without your written consent.
Completion and payout
On completion, sale costs, our capped planning costs and our fee come out of the proceeds in the order the agreement sets. The balance is paid to you through your solicitor.
Planning promotion in towns across Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes
- High Wycombe
- Aylesbury
- Bletchley
- Amersham
- Chesham
- Gerrards Cross
- Chalfont St Peter
- Marlow
- Newport Pagnell
Questions about planning promotion in Buckinghamshire
Which planning rules apply to garden plots in Buckinghamshire?
National policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) applies, alongside the Local Plan of the council where the land sits. Councils look at access, character, privacy, daylight, garden space, trees, parking, bins, drainage and flood risk. Practical rules matter too, including biodiversity net gain rules and 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).
How long does a planning promotion usually take in Buckinghamshire?
Longer than selling the land as it stands. Surveys and design often take a few months, the council then needs time to decide, and marketing and conveyancing follow. Council workload, requests for extra reports and any appeal drive the timing, so we give a realistic range after the appraisal rather than a promise.
Can neighbours combine gardens for planning promotion in Buckinghamshire?
Yes. Combining adjoining gardens often gives a better layout and one shared access, and it suits promotion well. Each owner keeps their house and needs their own solicitor, and a collaboration agreement sets out how proceeds are shared, including fair treatment for the garden that provides the access.
Which national rules apply to a new home in Buckinghamshire?
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.