Sell development land in Cambridge
We consider development land in Cambridge and across Cambridgeshire, from sites close to the CB21 postcode district out towards St Ives and Newmarket.
Development land is land where new homes or other buildings could realistically be built, either because it already has planning permission or because its location makes permission a reasonable prospect. We buy development land across England and Wales directly from the owner, so there is no agent's commission to pay.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Cambridge
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Land around Cambridge
Cambridge (CB21) sits in OS grid square TL45, some 30 miles south-east of Peterborough. Sites between here and St Ives or Ely are just as much of interest to us.
Flat arable fenland in the north contrasts with a fast-growing Cambridge area in the south, where the Cambridge green belt surrounds the city.
| Town | Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Cambridgeshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | CB21 |
| OS grid square | TL45 |
| Nearest towns we cover | St Ives (12 mi), Newmarket (13 mi), Ely (15 mi) |
| Distance from Peterborough | About 30 miles south-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What we look for around Cambridge
- Land that adjoins an existing town, village or housing estate
- Land outside the highest-risk flood zones, or where flood risk can be designed out
- Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan
- Land with a planning history we can build on, even if earlier applications were refused
Selling development land well depends on matching the deal to the planning position. With permission in place, an outright sale is usually simplest. Without it, a conditional contract or option can share the planning risk fairly.
What decides the value of development land near Cambridge
Access
A frontage onto an adopted road removes cost and uncertainty; a third party controlling access can cut value sharply.
Number of homes
Value follows how many homes the site can sensibly take once roads, open space and drainage are fitted in.
Planning obligations
Affordable housing, Section 106 contributions and, in some areas, CIL reduce what a buyer can pay for the land.
Ecology and trees
Protected species, ancient hedgerows and tree preservation orders can reduce the developable area.
Ways to sell this land
Outright purchase
Best where permission is already granted and the title is clean.
Subject-to-planning sale
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Option agreements
Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.
Joint ventures
Worth discussing if you want a share of the finished development value.
How a sale works
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
What England's rules mean for your land
Biodiversity net gain
Under the Environment Act 2021, most developments in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity. Since 6 August 2026, sites of 0.2 hectares or less are exempt unless priority habitat is affected.
Section 106 and CIL
Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.
Flood risk
Environment Agency flood maps and the sequential test steer new homes away from areas at highest risk of flooding.
Awkward details we deal with
The site has been refused planning before
A refusal tells us what the council objected to. We read the decision notice and judge whether a different scheme could answer it.
Part of the field floods
We map the flood zones and look at whether homes can sit on the drier part, with the rest used as open space.
Useful to send us
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
What people ask us about development land
How do I know if my land is development land?
Ask three questions: does it sit next to existing homes, can a car get onto it safely from a public road, and is it outside the worst flood risk? If the answer to all three is yes, it is worth an appraisal. We will tell you honestly if we don't think homes are achievable.
What size of site do you buy?
We look at sites from around a quarter of an acre for a single plot up to large fields on the edge of towns. Size matters less than location, access and planning prospects.
Should I get my own valuation?
We recommend it. An independent RICS valuer or land agent can tell you whether our offer is fair, and you are under no obligation to accept.
Can you visit land near Cambridge?
Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.
Other land types and routes
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Cambridge
- Development land in Cambridgeshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Cambridge
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.