- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
- Planning authorities
- 10
- City
- St Albans
How councils in Hertfordshire look at it
Drainage and flood risk are easy to overlook on a garden plot. Before buying anywhere in Hertfordshire, 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 Hertfordshire include Broxbourne Borough Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Hertfordshire District Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, St Albans City and District Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council, Welwyn Hatfield 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 Hertfordshire
- Watford
- Hemel Hempstead
- Stevenage
- St Albans
- Welwyn Garden City
- Cheshunt
- Hatfield
- Bishop's Stortford
- Borehamwood
- Hitchin
- Hoddesdon
- Letchworth Garden City
- Harpenden
- Bushey
- Hertford
- Rickmansworth
- Potters Bar
- Berkhamsted
- Ware
- Royston
Questions about sell your garden plot in Hertfordshire
Is there tax to pay on selling part of a garden in Hertfordshire?
There can be. Private Residence Relief can cover part of a garden sold while you still own and live in the house, within a permitted area. Selling after you’ve moved out, or developing the plot yourself, can change that. It depends on your circumstances, so take advice from a tax adviser before agreeing a sale.
Can a neighbour stop me selling part of my garden in Hertfordshire?
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.
Do you buy garden plots in Hertfordshire?
Yes. We buy suitable garden plots in Hertfordshire, 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.
Can neighbours in Hertfordshire combine their gardens?
Yes. Putting two or more adjoining back gardens together can allow one shared access and a better layout than separate plots. Each owner keeps their house. The owners usually sign a collaboration agreement, with an equalisation clause so that value is shared fairly even though only one garden provides the access. Each household should take its own legal advice.