Garden and backland plots wanted in Scarborough
We are actively looking for garden and backland plots in Scarborough 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 Scarborough the kind we want?
Backland development in Scarborough turns on access and privacy; we look at both before suggesting whether an application is worth making. Scarborough is in North Yorkshire, about 42 miles east of Northallerton. Nearby places include Bridlington, Driffield and Hornsea.
- Several neighbouring gardens that could be combined
- Paddocks and orchards behind homes on the edge of a village
- Plots where the owner wants to keep their house
- Sites with or without previous applications
Teesside has substantial former industrial land and regeneration areas, while flooding from the Ouse, Foss and Derwent affects York, Selby and nearby villages. The A1(M) and East Coast Main Line corridor through Northallerton and Thirsk, and the Harrogate to York rail line, attract steady interest in housing land.
What decides whether a site in Scarborough works
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.
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.
Some land in North Yorkshire is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 135 miles from Scarborough, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Scarborough
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 agreementJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureThe 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
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.
Is Scarborough too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 135 miles from Scarborough, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
How quickly can you look at a site in Scarborough?
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.