Garden and backland plots wanted in Freshwater
We are actively looking for garden and backland plots in Freshwater 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
Is your land in Freshwater the kind we want?
Backland development in Freshwater turns on access and privacy; we look at both before suggesting whether an application is worth making. Freshwater is on the Isle of Wight, about 10 miles west of Newport. Nearby places include New Milton, Newport and Cowes.
- Long rear gardens backing onto a lane, road or track
- Land behind houses with an existing drive or gap for access
- Plots where the owner wants to keep their house
- Sites with or without previous applications
The Isle of Wight has no Green Belt, but the Isle of Wight National Landscape covers much of the coast and downland. Housing is concentrated around Newport, Ryde, Cowes and East Cowes, Sandown and Shanklin, with many villages elsewhere. Typical sites are edge-of-town fields, infill plots, former holiday or commercial premises and farm buildings, with coastal change and ground instability relevant on parts of the coast.
What decides whether a site in Freshwater works
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.
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
The Isle of Wight has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Freshwater are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 130 miles from Freshwater, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we apply and you only sell if permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementWhat happens after you get in touch
Get in touch
Tell us where the land is and what you know about it.
Site review
We look at the land, its planning position and anything that could affect it.
Proposal
We put our proposal in writing, with no obligation to accept.
Exchange and completion
If you go ahead, contracts are exchanged and the sale completes on the agreed terms.
Frequently asked on the Isle of Wight
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.
Can an agent introduce land in Freshwater 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.
Which planning rules apply to land in Freshwater?
As Freshwater 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.