Garden and backland plots wanted in Derby
We are actively looking for garden and backland plots in Derby and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
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
The garden and backland plots that interests us around Derby
Around Derby, garden land is most promising where a lane already runs behind the houses or two or three neighbours can sell together. As the county town of Derbyshire, Derby anchors the area we cover here, along with Belper, Ilkeston and Heanor.
- 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
Derbyshire stretches from the city of Derby and towns such as Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Belper and Ripley in the south and east to the Peak District uplands in the north-west. Green Belt covers land between Derby and Nottingham, near Swadlincote and on the edges of Sheffield and Greater Manchester, while the Peak District National Park covers much of the north. Former colliery and industrial land, edge-of-town fields and village infill are the usual sources of housing sites.
What usually makes or breaks it
Access width
The drive or road into the plot must be safe for cars, bins and emergency vehicles.
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.
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.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 32 miles from Derby, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Derby
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Frequently asked in Derbyshire
Do I pay tax on selling garden land?
Tax depends on your circumstances, including how much land you have and how it has been used. Speak to a tax adviser before you agree terms.
What if my mortgage lender says no?
Lenders usually agree where the sale reduces the debt or the remaining security is adequate. We build time for this into the process.
Do you buy garden and backland plots in Derby?
Yes. We buy garden and backland plots in Derby and throughout Derbyshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Which planning rules apply to land in Derby?
As Derby is in England, national policy comes from the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026. Local policies in the council's development plan also apply.