- Planning authority
- East Hampshire District Council
- Postcodes
- GU34
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Hampshire
Before you decide in Alton
Every garden sale in Alton ends up as a transfer of part, so the title is where our checks begin. We look for covenants that restrict building, rights of way crossing the plot, and whether the boundary on the ground matches the plan. A mortgage lender will need to release the plot, and a sewer under the lawn may need a build-over agreement.
On the planning side, the searches show what East Hampshire District Council has approved or refused at the address, and the council’s Local Plan shows how it views new homes in gardens. Together, these tell us whether to make an offer before anyone takes a tape measure out.
From first call to decision
From first call to written offer usually takes a few weeks, depending mainly on how quickly the title checks and site visit can be arranged. After that, the legal work for a plot sale in Alton often runs for a few months, driven by the lender’s consent and any covenant or access questions. The appraisal costs you nothing, and you can stop at any point before exchange.
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.
Worth checking early
- A sale without planning is priced for the planning risk we take on, so it usually pays less than the same plot with permission.
- Selling the plot after you have sold or moved out of the house can change the tax position; take advice from a tax adviser.
- Your house keeps a smaller garden, which some future buyers will welcome and others won’t.
Your questions, answered for Alton
Can I sell part of my garden in Alton without planning permission?
Yes. We buy suitable plots with or without planning, subject to survey, title and contract. Without permission, we take on the risk that East Hampshire District Council refuses an application, and our offer allows for that. If you’d rather sell only once permission is granted, a sale subject to planning is the alternative.
Will I need my own solicitor for a garden plot sale in Alton?
Yes. You need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer acting for you on the transfer of part, separate from ours. Choose one who handles property sales and, ideally, development land. Who pays their fees is agreed in heads of terms before you instruct them.
What if my Alton garden has a protected tree?
A tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or standing in a conservation area, needs consent or notice before work. That doesn’t automatically stop a sale. Often the new home is placed to avoid the roots and canopy, and East Hampshire District Council’s tree officer may comment on any application. We check for protected trees during the appraisal.
How long does selling a garden plot in Alton take?
The legal work usually runs for a few months, much like an ordinary house sale. What drives it is the lender’s consent to release the plot, any covenant or access issue on the title, and how quickly both solicitors work. Selling without planning means there’s no council stage to wait for before completion.
Other options in Alton
- Garage courts and yards
- Sell subject to planning
- Large rear gardens
- Build a new home in your garden
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Corner and side plots

