.jpg.jpg?width=1200&auto=webp&quality=75 "Build-it-yourself? Six hidden London plots for sale with planning permission")
Who will see the potential in these neglected plots?
ES
Just as you’re more likely to buy a midcentury sideboard from an Instagram dealer than an auction house, most of us tend to leave neglected scraps of land to the developers.
In reality there is little reason why Londoners shouldn’t invest in a promising site, provided that planning permission for suitable digs has already been granted.
Architecture awards are awash with infill homes carved from forgotten parking spaces and derelict lock ups. One enterprising pair spent £340,000 on a dilapidated Hackney garage, replacing it with an airy Douglas fir-clad home that happily housed two couples.
While issues like access mean that urban plots come with their own challenges — and higher price tags — specialist lenders are on hand for mortgage requirements.
We’ve selected six of the best London sites with planning consent, considering transport connections, neighbourhood credentials and the promise of the proposed build.
1. Kingsland Road, Dalston, E8
An empty yard in Dalston with permission for a two-bed
Savills
Just 150 metres from Dalston Kingsland station, this empty yard is hardly making the most of its location in an east London hotspot.
The 1,168 square foot plot, which backs onto attractive period townhouses and has direct access via Gillett Place, comes with permission for a two-bedroom house.
It’s going under the hammer on April 16.
2. Garratt Lane, Tooting, SW17
An infill site in Tooting with permission for a two-storey home
Christopher St James
Homes built on tight infill plots or overlooked yards rarely conform to traditional proportions.
The proposal for this neglected site is a case in point – the permission describes a stepped two-storey house with an open plan living space, bedroom and family bathroom at street level, with a second bedroom, shower room and storage on a lower floor.
The site is fully prepped, so building work can start as soon as a game buyer is found.
3. Westbury Avenue, Wood Green, N22
An old lockup in Wood Green with permission for a three-bed
Foxtons
Permission has been granted to knock down this surprisingly roomy old lockup near Lordship Recreation Ground and built a three-bedroom home, with a lower floor, in its place.
Any buyer will be within striking distance of Turnpike Lane tube station.
4. Dresden Road, Archway, N19
A plot in Archway with permission for a detached home
Goldschmidt & Howland
Renders give would-be buyers a sense of how their new home might look once constructed.
This plot has permission for a low-rise detached home with around 1,000 square feet of space. A light well will illuminate two bedrooms on a lower ground floor.
It’s an unconventional way to buy into the pricey Whitehall Park Conservation area, which borders leafy Highgate and Crouch End.
5. Grove Avenue, Hanwell, W7
A plot in Hanwell with permission for an office or workshop
Phillip Arnold Auctions
Though this slim plot is unlikely to see a grand build any time soon – the current permission allows a single storey office or workshop – the description does emphasise the fact that another applicant may obtain a different result.
There’s residential precedent here and it’s within easy walking distance of the Elizabeth Line, plus Brent Valley park and golf course.
The plot goes up for auction next week.
6. Edge Hill, Wimbledon, SW19
A Wimbledon garden with permission for a three-bed eco home
The Modern House
This garden plot in the West Wimbledon Conservation Area comes with permission for an ambitious three-bedroom eco home.
The contemporary design represents a departure from the surrounding Victorian homes, with a focus on thermal efficient glazing and air tightness.
Build costs are estimated at £430,000.