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- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
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- Northampton
Getting it right in Northamptonshire
Garden schemes tend to draw more comment from neighbours than larger sites, simply because more people live close by. Councils in Northamptonshire weigh objections against planning policy rather than counting them, but a well-designed scheme that answers privacy, light and access concerns before they are raised has a much easier time. On a sale subject to planning, we design with neighbours in mind from the start. Where it helps, we can talk to adjoining owners before submitting, with your agreement, since you’re the one who lives next to them.
Planning authorities covering Northamptonshire include North Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We check your title, access, planning history and local policy from our desk, then talk it through with you. If a new home looks realistic, we visit the garden and tell you which route we think suits it best.
Heads of terms
We set out the price or price formula, what counts as satisfactory permission, the long-stop date, how any planning costs are treated and who pays which fees. You see all of it before instructing a solicitor.
Exchange of conditional contracts
Both solicitors agree the contract and the plan of the plot. On exchange, both sides are bound, subject to the planning condition, and our contract is noted on your title so the plot can’t be sold elsewhere.
Planning application
We commission the surveys, prepare the drawings, seek pre-application advice where useful and submit the application, normally at our cost. You see the plans before they go in, and the council makes the decision.
Completion, or you keep your land
Once a satisfactory permission is granted and any challenge period has passed, the sale completes within the agreed time and the plot gets its own title. If permission is refused and the contract ends, the land stays yours.
Subject to planning in towns across Northamptonshire
Questions about subject to planning in Northamptonshire
How is the price set on a conditional sale in Northamptonshire?
Either as a fixed figure or as a formula linked to the permission granted, for example the number or size of homes allowed. Many formulas include a minimum price. Any cost recovery is written into heads of terms before you sign, so you see the full calculation from the outset.
What surveys might a garden plot in Northamptonshire need for planning?
Commonly a measured survey, a tree survey and a preliminary ecology check, plus drainage and sometimes flood risk work. Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which affects the timetable. On a sale subject to planning, we normally commission and fund these as part of the application.
What is a long-stop date on a sale subject to planning in Northamptonshire?
It is the last date by which a satisfactory planning permission must be granted. If none arrives by then, the contract ends and you keep your land. It is agreed at the start and should allow time for surveys, one application and, where sensible, a resubmission or appeal.
How long does planning take for a garden plot in Northamptonshire?
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.
Other options in Northamptonshire
- Joint venture on your garden plot in Northamptonshire
- Corner and side plots in Northamptonshire
- Planning promotion for your garden plot in Northamptonshire
- Combine gardens with your neighbours in Northamptonshire
- Sell part of your garden in Northamptonshire
- Build a new home in your garden in Northamptonshire