- Planning authority
- West Lancashire Borough Council
- Postcodes
- WN8
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 36°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.8 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Lancashire
How it plays out in Skelmersdale
On many garden plots, access matters more than size. If a new home behind yours would be reached along a strip beside the house, West Lancashire Borough Council will look at how wide it is, how far drivers can see where it meets the road, and how much noise and headlight glare from passing cars would reach you and the neighbours.
Building regulations add their own test, because the new home will need fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). Whether your garden is in WN8 or just beyond, we measure the access early, since it shapes the offer more than almost anything else.
The next steps, locally
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 Skelmersdale 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.
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.
Worth checking early
- 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.
- A new home will be built close to yours, with building work and deliveries for a period.
Skelmersdale: questions to ask
What if my Skelmersdale 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 West Lancashire Borough Council’s tree officer may comment on any application. We check for protected trees during the appraisal.
Can I sell part of my garden in Skelmersdale 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 West Lancashire Borough 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.
Who decides whether a new home can be built in a Skelmersdale garden?
West Lancashire Borough Council decides, as the local planning authority, using the council’s Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Neighbours and consultees can comment, and the council weighs their points against planning policy. Nobody, including us, can promise the outcome, which is why an outright sale without planning is priced for that uncertainty.
Do I pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when I sell a garden plot in Skelmersdale?
No. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) falls on the buyer of land, so on a sale to us any amount due is ours to pay. What may affect you as the seller is Capital Gains Tax, depending on your circumstances and whether you still live in the house. Take advice from a tax adviser before you agree a deal.
Other options in Skelmersdale
- Corner and side plots
- Tandem and landlocked plots
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Garage courts and yards
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Bungalows on large plots