ENGLAND
BEDFORDSHIRE
BEDFORD Mill Road
Plot in open countryside with planning permission for a fourbedroom, detached family home of almost 190m2 with lovely views. A further piece of land to the rear of this proposed property is available by separate negotiation. Guide price: £280,000
Planning: Bedford Borough Council 24/00101/FUL Contact: Cooper Wallace Estate Agents 01234 331194 enquiries@cooper-wallace.co.uk
DUNSTABLE Tring Road
A single plot with planning permission for a three-bedroom detached house of circa 1,900ft2 set over two floors with uninterrupted countryside views. Guide price: £350,000
Planning: Central Bedfordshire Council CB/23/03000/FULL Contact: Haart 01908 753096 milton.keynes@haart.co.uk
BERKSHIRE
KINTBURY Newbury Street
Planning permission has been granted to demolish an existing cottage and build a detached house of around 1,865ft2 , and to extend and remodel an existing garage to create a two-bedroom end-ofterrace house of around 915ft2 . Guide price: £550,000
Planning: West Berkshire Council 010009202608
Contact: Russell Marshall Estate Agents 01488 498944 sales@russell-marshall.co.uk
STRATFIELD SAYE, READING Green Lane
0.61-acre site with class Qplanning permission for a modern barn conversion totalling over 4,600ft2 with five bedrooms, set within a very peaceful setting.
Guide price: £1,000,000
Planning: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council 23/00458/FUL Contact: BCM 01962 763900 info@bcm.co.uk
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
GREAT BRICKHILL, MILTON KEYNES Little Brickhill Lane
Plot with planning permission to construct a substantial detached dwelling of 5,985ft2 . The plot extends to approx 0.9 of an acre. Guide price: £1,000,000 Planning: Aylesbury Vale District
Council 23/02894/APP Contact: Jackson-Stops & Staff 01525 290641 woburn@jackson-stops.co.uk
MILTON KEYNES Silverbirches Lane
Guide price: £850,000
Planning: Central Bedfordshire Council CB/16/04175/FULL Contact: Beasley &
Partners 01908 282820 justask@beasley-partners.co.uk
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PLOT?
The perfect piece of land would be in a pleasant area, affordable and level, with easy access, good ground conditions and no planning issues or obstructions. The issue, of course, is that plot may not exist.
Even the best sites require some compromise, so it’s crucial to properly assess contenders to get as close as possible to your goals.
All the plots in our listings come with planning permission: either outline (a loose affirmation the site can be developed) or full (consent for a particular design). Beware of any site without current approval. Land is worth considerably more once consent has been granted, so if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Once you’ve spotted an opportunity, consider whether the type of house you want can be comfortably accommodated on the plot, and if the existing consent allows for it or could be amended to suit. If it’s a yes to both, then the site is worth a bit more research.
Check for issues on the plot that could increase construction costs, make it difficult to get the right design for your needs, or affect the viability of a project. Some of the most notorious budget-busters include steep slopes, difficult access to services, or obstacles like overhead cables. Most issues are not insurmountable and, with good design, some can even be turned to your advantage.
From a planning perspective, check how long is left on the consent. If it is less than six months and you will need to redesign the house to suit your needs or sort out any planning conditions, this could be problematic.
If early investigations seem positive, then you can move on to a more in-depth appraisal of how suitable the site is. Consider access, ground conditions, drainage and legal matters. If you are unsure, seek professional advice. This might mean speaking to your local council. Our useful online resource www.self-build. co.uk/plot-checklistcan help bring structure to this part of the assessment process.