Sell Garden Land and Backland in Rickmansworth
Backland sites in Rickmansworth often stretch across several gardens, so the strongest schemes involve neighbours working together. Land to Homes can buy a single plot directly, subject to survey, title and contract, or bring adjoining owners into one deal with a fair way of sharing proceeds, so a single shared access serves everyone.
Rickmansworth · WD3Free 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
Selling land around Rickmansworth
About 4 miles west of Watford, Rickmansworth is part of our Hertfordshire coverage, centred on postcode district WD3. The nearest other places we cover are Watford (4 miles), Chalfont St Peter (4 miles) and North Watford (5 miles). Within England, Rickmansworth falls in the East of England region.
Sites worth a conversation around Rickmansworth: former garage blocks and yards, small holdings and pony paddocks and land behind street frontages. Planning in Rickmansworth follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Tell us where your land is around Rickmansworth and we will explain the routes open to you.
Our approach in Rickmansworth
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.
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.
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.
Your retained house matters
Selling part of a garden changes the house you keep: outside space, parking, privacy and value. We look at any scheme from your side as well as from the buyer's.
The English system, as it applies in Rickmansworth
If your land near Rickmansworth lies in the Green Belt, national policy still protects it, but England's planning framework now recognises grey belt: Green Belt land that is previously developed or does not strongly contribute to certain Green Belt purposes. Where there is evidenced unmet need and the location is sustainable, grey belt housing can be acceptable, with major schemes meeting the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure and green space. Planning is never guaranteed, so we check policy, access and constraints first.
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).
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Your questions answered for Rickmansworth
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.
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.
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.
Do you work with landowners in Rickmansworth?
We do. We work with landowners in Rickmansworth and elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage and Borehamwood. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Sell Garden Land and Backland · Guide: Overage and clawback: how they work when you sell land