- Planning authority
- Buckinghamshire Council
- Postcodes
- SL9
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Buckinghamshire
How it plays out in Gerrards Cross
On many backland plots, access matters more than size. A long garden in Gerrards Cross may have no route to the road wide enough for cars, bins and emergency vehicles, and Buckinghamshire Council will look closely at the effect of a new drive on the homes either side of it.
For homes in SL9 we look at access first: the width beside the house, visibility at the pavement, and whether a strip of land owned by someone else sits in the way. If access only works by joining with a neighbour, we’ll say so, and promoting the combined site may be the better route.
From first call to decision
The first step for a Gerrards Cross garden is a conversation and a desktop check, at no cost. We then send written heads of terms covering the term, minimum price, cost cap and fee. Once the agreement is signed, we commission surveys and drawings, take pre-application advice from Buckinghamshire Council where it helps, and submit the application. Marketing starts only after permission is granted.
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.
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.
Worth checking early
- Promotion takes longer than a straight sale: planning, then marketing, then completion, and each stage can run on.
- The plot’s price isn’t known until it’s marketed with permission; it depends on location, size, access and the permission itself.
- Planning may be refused. You keep your land and owe nothing for planning, but the months spent can’t be given back.
Gerrards Cross: questions to ask
Can you look at my garden in Gerrards Cross before I commit to anything?
Yes. The plot appraisal is free and carries no obligation. We start with a desktop check of your title, access and the planning policies that apply, then talk it through with you. If the plot looks viable, we arrange a site visit before any heads of terms are drafted.
How long does planning promotion take for a garden in Gerrards Cross?
It usually takes longer than a straight sale. Design and surveys often take a few months, then Buckinghamshire Council needs time to decide, and marketing and conveyancing follow. The council’s workload, extra reports and any appeal drive the timing, so we give a realistic range after the appraisal.
Is planning promotion available for a single garden in Gerrards Cross?
Yes, if the plot is suitable, though promotion is more usual on larger sites. On one modest garden, the fixed costs of planning, legal work and marketing take a bigger share of the sale. After the free appraisal we’ll tell you whether promotion, a sale subject to planning or an option suits your garden best.
Do I pay anything upfront for planning promotion in Gerrards Cross?
No. We fund the surveys, drawings and planning fees. Those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds, within a cap set in the heads of terms, only if a sale with planning happens. Your reasonable legal fees for the agreement are also covered up to an agreed cap.
Other options in Gerrards Cross
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Corner and side plots