Sell Garden Land and Backland in Hereford
Selling part of your garden in Hereford 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.
Hereford · HR1Free 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 Hereford
Our Herefordshire coverage is centred on Hereford, postcode district HR1, and reaches 3 other places. Ross-on-Wye is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 11 miles, followed by Leominster and Ledbury. Within England, Hereford falls in the West Midlands region. From our Birmingham head office in Great Barr, Hereford is about 48 miles away.
Typical sites we review near Hereford include redundant agricultural buildings, redundant commercial buildings and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. Planning in Hereford follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Hereford.
Our approach in Hereford
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.
Mortgage lender consent
If your house is mortgaged, the lender's charge usually covers the whole garden. You will normally need the lender to release the part being sold, which your solicitor arranges as part of the sale.
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.
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.
Planning in Hereford: the English rules
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Hereford, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.
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 |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Sell Garden Land and Backland in Hereford: questions
What is backland development?
Backland development means building homes on land behind an existing row of houses, usually reached by a new access running between them. Many councils have specific policy on it, focused on access, privacy, the character of the area and avoiding piecemeal schemes that would block a better-planned layout later.
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.
What if my title has a covenant against building?
A restrictive covenant can prevent or limit new homes even when planning permission is granted. Options include negotiating a release with whoever benefits from it, indemnity insurance where enforcement looks unlikely, or applying to the relevant tribunal to modify or discharge it. Take legal advice early, because it affects any buyer.
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 you buy land in Hereford?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Hereford and elsewhere in Herefordshire, including Ross-on-Wye, Leominster and Ledbury. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell Garden Land and Backland · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know