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For landowners · Northamptonshire

Sell Garden Land and Backland in Corby

Can I sell part of my garden for development in Corby?

Garden land and backland in Corby means plots taken from large gardens or land sitting behind existing houses, often with no road frontage of its own. It can take one home or a small group, but only if there is safe access and the new homes would not harm neighbours' privacy or the character of the street. We assess both first.

Aerial view of open farmland with hedgerows on the edge of a townCorby · NN17

Free 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

Our coverage in Corby

We cover Corby as part of Northamptonshire. It is about 19 miles north-east of Northampton, around postcode district NN17. If your land sits between towns, Uppingham, Kettering and Market Harborough are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Corby falls in the East Midlands region. Our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham, is about 53 miles away.

Typical sites we review near Corby include brownfield land in and around Corby, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and farmland next to the settlement boundary. Because Corby is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

If you own land near Corby, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.

What you get in Corby

Neighbour impact assessed

Councils look at overlooking, loss of light, noise from a new drive and whether the plot is in keeping with the area. We assess these early, because they are common reasons for refusal.

Access comes first

Most garden schemes stand or fall on access. The drive must be wide enough for cars, refuse collection and emergency vehicles, with safe visibility at the road, under the highway authority's design guidance.

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.

The English system, as it applies in Corby

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Corby 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).

Key rules in Corby
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Corby

How wide does an access drive need to be for a new house?

There is no single figure for the whole UK. The local highway authority's design guidance sets widths for private drives, passing places and visibility at the junction, and building regulations cover access for fire service vehicles. We check the standards your council applies before estimating what a plot could take.

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 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 buy land in Corby?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Corby and elsewhere in Northamptonshire, including Rushden, Wellingborough and Daventry. 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: Overage and clawback: how they work when you sell land

Sell Garden Land and Backland elsewhere in Northamptonshire

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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