- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 4
- City
- Durham
County Durham: the planning picture
Drainage and flood risk are easy to overlook on a garden plot. Before buying anywhere in County Durham, we check the flood maps, the route of any public sewer and how rainwater from a new roof and drive would be dealt with. For the new home, that means a drainage plan the council will want to see. A sewer running under the lawn may need a build-over agreement with the water company, which can move where the house sits. None of this usually stops a sale, but it shapes what we can offer, so it belongs in the appraisal rather than being discovered later.
Planning authorities covering County Durham include Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council, Hartlepool Borough Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough 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 County Durham
- Darlington
- Hartlepool
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Durham
- Chester-le-Street
- Billingham
- Stanley
- Consett
- Newton Aycliffe
- Bishop Auckland
- Seaham
- Peterlee
- Spennymoor
Questions about sell your garden plot in County Durham
Do you buy garden plots in County Durham?
Yes. We buy suitable garden plots in County Durham, with or without planning, subject to survey, title and contract. That includes long back gardens, side gardens, corner plots and land behind houses, as long as there’s a workable way in. The first step is a free garden plot appraisal.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in County Durham?
The local planning authority for your address decides. Across County Durham, the authorities include Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council, Hartlepool Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, 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.
How long does it take to sell a garden plot in County Durham?
Most of the time goes on the legal work. Once an offer is agreed, solicitors usually need a few months to deal with the transfer of part, the lender’s release and the title checks. Covenants, unclear boundaries or a disputed access are what usually stretch it.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in County Durham?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering County Durham include Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council, Hartlepool Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.