Garden and backland plots wanted in Cornwall
We want to hear from owners of garden and backland plots in Cornwall. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
Garden and backland development means building new homes on land behind existing houses. It works best where there is a safe access and enough space to avoid overlooking. We buy single large gardens and assemble neighbouring gardens where owners agree.
- Size
- 1 to 20 homes typically
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional or outright
Is your land in Cornwall the kind we want?
Cornwall has no Green Belt, but landscape designation is extensive: the Cornwall National Landscape covers large stretches of coast and countryside, alongside the Tamar Valley and Isles of Scilly National Landscapes. Settlements are dispersed, from Truro, Camborne, Redruth and St Austell to many small coastal and inland villages. Sites coming forward are often edge-of-settlement fields, farm buildings, former mining and china clay land, and rural exception sites for local needs.
- Long rear gardens backing onto a lane, road or track
- Several neighbouring gardens that could be combined
- Land behind houses with an existing drive or gap for access
- Plots where the owner wants to keep their house
Second-home and holiday-let pressure has led to principal residence policies in some Cornish neighbourhood plans, and nutrient neutrality advice has applied in the River Camel catchment. Former mining land around Camborne and Redruth needs mining risk checks, while the A30 corridor towns attract more mainstream housing growth.
Checks we make on garden and backland plots in Cornwall
Overlooking
New homes must sit far enough from existing homes to protect privacy.
Local garden policy
Some councils resist garden development; others support it where character is respected.
Mortgage consent
If your home is mortgaged, the lender will usually need to release the garden land.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 introduced Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy in England, which over time may offer an alternative to site-by-site mitigation for some environmental issues.
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.
Ways to sell garden and backland plots in Cornwall
Subject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we apply and you only sell if permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureFrom first call to completion
Tell us about the land
Use the form or call us with the location and a rough outline of the site.
Free appraisal
We review title, planning and constraints and tell you honestly what we think.
Written offer
If the site suits us, we set out an offer and the way we propose to buy.
Solicitors take over
Your solicitor and ours agree the contract; we keep you informed throughout.
Your questions answered
Will selling part of my garden affect my house value?
It can, and the effect varies. We plan the boundary and access to protect your home, and you should take independent advice on the overall position.
My neighbours might sell too. Does that help?
Often, yes. Combining gardens can create a better site and access. We can talk to each owner and keep the arrangement fair.
How quickly can you look at a site in Cornwall?
For most sites we can give an initial view once we have the location and a plan. Detailed checks follow if the land looks suitable.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Cornwall assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.