Garden and backland plots wanted in Barnstaple
Looking to sell garden and backland plots near Barnstaple? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
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
Garden and backland plots we are looking for in Barnstaple
Around Barnstaple, garden land is most promising where a lane already runs behind the houses or two or three neighbours can sell together. Barnstaple lies about 34 miles north-west of Exeter in Devon. We also cover Bideford, Tiverton, Exeter and the villages between them.
- 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
Devon has no Green Belt, but Dartmoor and part of Exmoor National Parks and the East Devon, North Devon, South Devon, Blackdown Hills and Tamar Valley National Landscapes cover a large share of the county. Growth focuses on Exeter, Plymouth, Torbay and the market towns, with many villages beyond. Edge-of-town greenfield land, farm buildings and smaller infill plots are the usual sources of new housing sites.
Before we make an offer in Barnstaple
Access width
The drive or road into the plot must be safe for cars, bins and emergency vehicles.
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.
In England, the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 17 August 2026 replaced the old "tilted balance" with new settlement policies: development within a settlement should normally be approved unless the harm substantially outweighs the benefits, while land outside a settlement can gain support in defined circumstances.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 137 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
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 contractFrom first call to completion
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.
Frequently asked in Devon
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.
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.
Do you buy garden and backland plots in Barnstaple?
Yes. We buy garden and backland plots in Barnstaple and throughout Devon, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Is Barnstaple too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 137 miles from Barnstaple, and we look at land right across England and Wales.