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What to know in East Sussex
Mature gardens often come with big trees, and that matters when you sell. A tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or standing in a conservation area, needs consent or notice before it can be cut back or felled, and its roots may rule out building close by. Councils in East Sussex may also protect garden trees and hedges through the council’s Local Plan for the part they play in the look of a street. We check for protected trees during the appraisal and design around them where we can, rather than treating every one as a reason to walk away.
Planning authorities covering East Sussex include Brighton and Hove City Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council, Rother District Council, Wealden District Council, South Downs National Park Authority.
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 East Sussex
Questions about sell your garden plot in East Sussex
Do you buy garden plots in East Sussex?
Yes. We buy suitable garden plots in East Sussex, 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.
Do you need planning permission to sell land behind a house in East Sussex?
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.
What makes a garden plot in East Sussex hard to sell?
Usually one of four things: no workable access, a covenant against building, a protected tree in the wrong place, or too little space to keep proper gaps from neighbouring windows. Some of these can be solved through insurance, design or a neighbour’s agreement. Our appraisal tells you which apply and whether there’s a way round.
How long does planning take for a garden plot in East Sussex?
The council usually has eight weeks from validation to decide a small application, though extensions are often agreed, and the whole process takes longer. Surveys, design work, pre-application advice and amendments all add time, and some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year. We’ll give you a realistic timetable for your plot rather than a promise.