Garden and backland plots wanted in Bath
Development Land Wanted buys garden and backland plots in Bath and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
A backland plot is land behind existing buildings, usually large rear gardens, reached by a new or existing access. Garden land can sometimes take new homes, especially where several neighbours sell together or a lane runs along the back.

- 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 Bath
Backland development in Bath turns on access and privacy; we look at both before suggesting whether an application is worth making. Bath lies about 41 miles north-east of Taunton in Somerset. We also cover Keynsham, Trowbridge, Kingswood and the villages between them.
- Long rear gardens backing onto a lane, road or track
- 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
Somerset, as used here, includes Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon and Keynsham as well as Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater and Frome. Green Belt lies around Bath and Bristol in the north, and Exmoor National Park and the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills, Blackdown Hills, Cranborne Chase and Cotswolds National Landscapes cover much of the rest. The Somerset Levels and Moors are at high flood risk, so sites on higher ground are often favoured.
Checks we make on garden and backland plots in Bath
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.
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.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 83 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Choosing how to sell
Subject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we apply and you only sell if permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractHow a sale to us works
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 Somerset
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.
Do you buy garden and backland plots in Bath?
Yes. We buy garden and backland plots in Bath and throughout Somerset, 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 Bath?
As Bath 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.
