Backland Development
0800 088 6248Free to call Free plot appraisal

Sell your garden plot subject to planning in Frome

Planning is the biggest unknown on any garden plot in Frome, and a conditional contract is a way of sharing it fairly. We take on the cost and work of the application, normally funding it ourselves. You take on the wait. If the council approves a scheme that meets the agreed definition, we complete at the agreed price; if it doesn’t, you still own the land.

That balance suits plots where a sensible scheme is visible from the start. It suits less well where access is doubtful or a neighbour’s land is needed, and we’ll tell you if yours falls into that group.

Get a free appraisalCheck my garden
Site plan and house elevation drawings on a kitchen table with the back garden beyond the window
Planning authority
Somerset Council
Postcodes
BA11
Noon sun, 21 March
About 39°
Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
About 6.2 m
Planning plan
Local Plan
County
Somerset

How it plays out in Frome

Overshadowing is one of the first things a planning officer checks on a garden scheme. In Frome, the spring equinox sun reaches only about 39° at midday, which means a 5 m eaves line lays down a shadow around 6.2 m long. Come the shortest day, the sun climbs no higher than roughly 15° and the shade stretches far beyond that.

We model those shadows when we design the scheme, because a home that keeps light off your windows and the neighbours’ gardens is easier for Somerset Council to approve. Sometimes that means a lower roof or a home set further back.

Section showing noon sun and shadows in Frome: about 39 degrees on 21 March and 15 degrees on 21 December21 m21 Mar, noon: sun 39°, shadow 6.2 m21 Dec, noon: sun 15°, shadow 18.2 mExistingNew home
Noon sun in Frome on 21 March sits about 39° above the horizon, so a typical two-storey eaves line (about 5 m) throws a shadow of roughly 6.2 m. In December the sun is only about 15° up and shadows stretch much further. Drawn for a garden facing north, where it matters most.

How we’d take it forward in Frome

From first enquiry to exchange of contracts usually takes a few months, set mainly by the solicitors and any title questions. The planning stage then runs on its own timetable, depending on surveys and on Somerset Council. We keep you updated throughout, share the drawings before submission and tell you as soon as a decision is issued.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

Worth checking early

  • Capital Gains Tax timing on a conditional sale can differ from an ordinary sale; take advice from a tax adviser.
  • The plot can’t be sold to anyone else while the contract runs, even if another offer comes along.
  • You wait for a planning decision, and possibly an appeal, before you are paid.

Frome: questions to ask

Is a sale subject to planning in Frome better than an option?

It depends on the plot. A conditional sale binds both sides from exchange and suits a single plot with a clear scheme. An option gives us a right to buy rather than an obligation, and suits plots where the outcome is less certain or the timescale is longer. We’ll recommend one after the appraisal.

What if I want to sell my Frome house during a conditional sale?

Tell us as early as you can. The conditional contract is noted on your title, so your house buyer’s solicitor will see it. The two sales can usually be arranged together, but the order matters for the legal work and possibly for Capital Gains Tax, so take advice from a tax adviser too.

Will my neighbours in Frome be told about the application?

Yes. Somerset Council publicises applications through letters to neighbours, a site notice, or both, depending on its practice. Neighbours can comment, and the council weighs their views against planning policy. You can choose whether to speak to adjoining owners before the application goes in, and we’ll fit in with what you prefer.

Do I pay for the planning application on my Frome garden plot?

We normally fund the planning application, including surveys and drawings. Any recovery of those costs is agreed in heads of terms before you sign, for example as a deduction from the price at completion. You see the full position before instructing a solicitor, so there are no surprises later.

Other options in Frome

Subject to planning near Frome

Find out what your garden could become

Free garden plot appraisal. No cost, no obligation, and a straight answer if it won’t work.

Get my free appraisal 0800 088 6248