Sell Garden Land and Backland in Canterbury
Backland sites in Canterbury 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.
Canterbury · CT1Free 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 Canterbury
Canterbury sits about 24 miles east of Maidstone in Kent, in the CT1 postcode district. Nearby, we also cover Whitstable, Herne Bay and Faversham, all within 9 miles. Within England, Canterbury falls in the South East region.
Typical sites we review near Canterbury include farmland next to the settlement boundary, brownfield land in and around Canterbury and infill gaps along existing streets. Because Canterbury is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near CT1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Canterbury
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.
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.
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 and land rules in Canterbury
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Canterbury 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).
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| 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 |
Common questions in Canterbury
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.
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 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.
Do you work with landowners in Canterbury?
We do. We work with landowners in Canterbury and elsewhere in Kent, including Faversham, Swanley and Whitstable. 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