- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 6
- City
- Cambridge
Getting it right in Cambridgeshire
A garden plot sells most easily when the planning case is straightforward: a decent width of access, enough depth to keep sensible gaps between back windows, and a street where a home behind a home wouldn’t look out of place. Plots that miss one of these can still work, but they need more design, sometimes a neighbour’s cooperation, and a price that reflects the extra risk. Wherever you are in Cambridgeshire, the council’s own guidance sets the detail, and biodiversity net gain rules, drainage and protected trees can each add a layer of work.
Planning authorities covering Cambridgeshire include Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
Tell us about your garden. We check the title plan, access, local policy and planning history from our desk, then talk it through with you. If it looks viable, we arrange a site visit, with no cost and no obligation.
Written offer and heads of terms
We put our offer in writing, subject to survey, title and contract. Heads of terms then record the plot boundary, the price, access rights, who pays which costs and the rough timetable for each stage.
Solicitors and lender
Your solicitor prepares the transfer of part and asks your mortgage lender to release the plot. Ours checks the title, covenants, rights of way and searches, while surveys of trees, ground and drainage run alongside.
Exchange and completion
Once both sides are satisfied, contracts are exchanged and a completion date is fixed. On completion the money passes through the solicitors and HM Land Registry registers the plot under a new title of its own.
After the sale
Any boundary fence or access works agreed in the transfer are carried out as set out. If the plot still needs planning, we apply as the new owner, and you can see and comment on the plans like any other neighbour.
Sell your garden plot in towns across Cambridgeshire
Questions about sell your garden plot in Cambridgeshire
Do you need planning permission to sell land behind a house in Cambridgeshire?
No. Planning permission isn’t needed to sell land, only to build a new home on it. We buy plots outright without planning when the appraisal shows a realistic prospect, and we also buy plots that already have permission. Either way, the purchase is subject to survey, title and contract.
Can a neighbour stop me selling part of my garden in Cambridgeshire?
Not the sale itself, which is between you and the buyer. Neighbours can object to a later planning application, and the council weighs their points against planning policy. A neighbour can also matter if they own land the access crosses or benefit from a covenant on your title, so we check for both.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Cambridgeshire?
The local planning authority for your address decides. Across Cambridgeshire, the authorities include Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and other councils, working to Local Plan policies alongside the NPPF. Policies on garden land can differ from one authority to the next, so we always check the ones that apply to your street.
Can you build a new home in my garden in Cambridgeshire for me to keep?
Yes. Through our design and build route we survey your plot, design a new home with you, apply for planning and, once permission is granted, build it. You keep the land and the new home, to sell, let or use for family. You get a written quote after design and survey, and any earlier guide price is a guide only.