Garage courts and yards wanted in Bristol
We are actively looking for garage courts and yards in Bristol and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
If you own a block of garages or a small service yard, it may be a housing site. We look at the access, the existing tenants and any rights of way across the land.
- Size
- About 1 to 10 homes
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
What garage courts and yards we want near Bristol
Bristol is a compact city bounded by the Avon Gorge, the Severn estuary at Avonmouth and the Bristol and Bath Green Belt, which covers land on and beyond its edges. Most new homes come from previously developed land: former industrial and commercial sites, yards, garage courts and regeneration areas such as Temple Quarter and the harbourside. Small infill and backland plots across the suburbs are also a steady source of sites.
- Lock-up garage blocks, let or empty
- Sites reached by a shared drive or lane
- Courts where some garages are let on licences
- Land with or without planning history
Higher densities are encouraged around stations and the city centre, with Temple Meads and the MetroWest rail upgrades a focus for growth. Flood risk from the tidal Avon and the Severn estuary affects central and Avonmouth sites, and conservation areas cover much of the historic city.
Checks we make on garage courts and yards in Bristol
Access rights
Neighbours may have rights to pass over the court to reach their own land.
Overlooking
Courts are usually close to existing homes, so design must protect privacy.
Licences and tenants
Garage licences are usually easy to end, but we check the terms.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
English councils keep brownfield land registers, and some previously developed sites can be granted permission in principle, a quicker way of establishing whether housing is acceptable before technical details are settled.
Choosing how to sell
Subject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractThe next steps
Send the basics
A postcode or plan and a few lines about the land are enough to start.
We do the homework
We check planning history, policy, flood maps and access at no cost to you.
We explain the options
You get a written proposal covering price, structure and timing.
Agree and proceed
Once you are happy, solicitors are instructed and the deal moves forward.
Your questions answered
Some garages are still rented. Is that a problem?
Usually not. Garage lets are often on short licences. We look at the terms and allow time to end them properly.
Do you buy council or housing association garages?
We are happy to discuss sites with public bodies and housing providers, subject to their own disposal rules.
Can an agent introduce land in Bristol to you?
Yes. Estate agents, land agents and planning consultants can introduce sites with the owner's consent. Any fee is agreed in writing before details are shared, confirmed by the owner in writing and paid only on completion.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Bristol assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.