Sell Garden Land and Backland in Chiswick
Selling part of your garden in Chiswick for a new home can work well, but the details decide it: the width and route of the access, overlooking, trees, drainage and any covenants on your title. Land to Homes gives a free, no-obligation appraisal and tells you plainly if the plot is unlikely to get permission.
Chiswick · W4Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Land and sites near Chiswick
In Greater London, Chiswick lies about 6 miles west of London; its central postcode district is W4. The nearest other places we cover are Acton (1 mile), Barnes (1 mile) and Shepherds Bush (2 miles). Chiswick is part of England’s London region.
Around Chiswick we look at corner plots and side gardens, redundant commercial buildings and backland plots with a workable access. Planning in Chiswick follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Send us a postcode in or near W4 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in Chiswick
Option and promotion routes
If the plot needs planning first, an option or promotion agreement lets us fund the application. On both, we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms.
Neighbours can combine
Where several gardens adjoin, a joint scheme with one shared access is often more workable than separate plots. A collaboration agreement can share proceeds fairly between the owners involved.
Covenants and title
Older titles often include restrictive covenants limiting building. Depending on the nation and the facts, a release, indemnity insurance or an application to modify the covenant may be possible.
Trees and ecology checked
Mature gardens can hold protected trees, bats in outbuildings or nesting birds. We check tree preservation orders and conservation area status, and plan any surveys for the right season.
Planning in Chiswick: the English rules
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Chiswick are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
In England, the NPPF excludes private residential gardens in built-up areas from its definition of previously developed land, and many Local Plans have specific garden development policies. Recent changes exempt many very small sites from biodiversity net gain, subject to conditions. Restrictive covenants can be modified or discharged by the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
Common questions in Chiswick
What is tandem development?
Tandem development is a new house placed directly behind an existing one, sharing or running alongside the same access. Councils often resist it because of noise and disturbance from cars passing the front house and overlooking between the two. A wider plot with its own access is usually viewed more positively.
Can I sell part of my garden to a developer?
Yes, if the land can support a new home with safe access and acceptable impact on neighbours. The land is split from your title and sold with rights of way and services set out in the transfer. If your house is mortgaged, your lender will need to consent and release the part being sold.
Will selling part of my garden affect the value of my house?
It can. A smaller garden, a new drive alongside your home or a new neighbour closer to your boundary may reduce its value, even though the sale brings in money. A local estate agent can advise on the effect on your house, so you can weigh the two together before deciding.
Do I pay Capital Gains Tax when I sell garden land?
Possibly. Private Residence Relief can cover part of a garden in some circumstances, but the size of the garden and the order and timing of sales can affect it. Selling the garden after you have sold the house, for example, may change the position. Speak to an accountant before agreeing terms.
Is Chiswick an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Chiswick and elsewhere in Greater London, including Welling, Wimbledon and Greenford. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.
Read more: Sell Garden Land and Backland · Guide: Overage and clawback: how they work when you sell land