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Sell barns and rural buildings in Barnstaple

If you own barns and rural buildings near Barnstaple, we can usually tell you quite quickly whether it suits us, and if it doesn't, we'll say why.

Barns and rural buildings range from traditional brick and stone barns to modern steel-framed sheds. Many can be converted to homes or replaced with new ones, either through a full planning application or, in England, through prior approval under permitted development rights.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

Get an offer for land in Barnstaple

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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Barnstaple at a glance

From Barnstaple, it's 8 miles to Bideford and 28 miles to Tiverton. We buy land across that whole stretch of Devon, not only within the town.

A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.

TownBarnstaple
CountyDevon
CountryEngland
Postcode districtEX31
OS grid squareSS53
Nearest towns we coverBideford (8 mi), Tiverton (28 mi), Porthcawl (32 mi)
Distance from PlymouthAbout 49 miles north
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Traditional red-brick barn beside a modern green steel agricultural building in a farmyard

Land we're keen to see around Barnstaple

  • Traditional brick, stone or timber barns
  • Modern steel-framed agricultural buildings no longer needed
  • Farmyards with several buildings and hardstanding
  • Buildings with Class Q prior approval in place

Redundant farm buildings can be worth far more as homes than as storage. The route to consent depends on the building, its location and whether you're in England or Wales.

The things that move our offer

Planning route

Full planning and, in England, Class Q prior approval follow different rules and limits.

Listed status

Listed and curtilage-listed buildings need listed building consent and careful design.

Services

Water, power and drainage to remote buildings can be expensive.

Agricultural use history

Class Q rights depend on the building's past agricultural use.

Choosing how to sell

Outright purchase

Suits buildings with consent or prior approval already in place.

Subject-to-planning sale

We complete once planning consent is secured.

Option agreements

Less common for single buildings but can suit whole farmyards.

Joint ventures

Worth considering for a larger yard you'd like to see developed well.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Devon

Planning framework

Planning decisions in England follow the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026, and the local plan, prepared by the council or, in a national park, the park authority. Plans are reviewed periodically, which is when new housing sites are usually allocated.

Heritage

Listed buildings and conservation areas are managed with Historic England and the council's conservation team.

Farm tenancies

Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies and farm business tenancies have their own notice and compensation rules, which affect when land can be developed.

When the land isn't straightforward

You're not sure Class Q applies

In England, Class Q has detailed limits and conditions. We check eligibility before assuming it.

The barn is listed

Listed barns can still be converted with consent, but the design must respect the building.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Barnstaple

What is Class Q?

Class Q is a permitted development right in England that allows some agricultural buildings to become homes through a prior approval process, rather than a full planning application, subject to limits and conditions.

Do I need surveys before selling?

No. We arrange what we need. If you already have structural or ecology surveys, they help.

Can I sell buildings and keep the land around them?

Yes. We can agree a boundary that suits both of us, with access rights protected.

Do you buy land in Barnstaple?

Yes. We consider land in and around Barnstaple and across Devon. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Also near Barnstaple

Other land in Barnstaple

Ready to talk about your land in Barnstaple?

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248