Sell development land in Barnstaple
We consider development land in Barnstaple and across Devon, from sites close to the EX31 postcode district out towards Bideford and Tiverton.
If you own a field or site on the edge of a settlement, you may be sitting on land a homebuilder wants. We look at the planning history, access and services, then tell you plainly whether we can make an offer and on what basis.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
Get an offer for land in Barnstaple
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Where Barnstaple sits
Barnstaple lies in Devon, roughly 49 miles north of Plymouth. Nearby, we also look at land around Bideford (8 miles), Tiverton (28 miles) and Porthcawl (32 miles).
A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.
| Town | Barnstaple |
|---|---|
| County | Devon |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | EX31 |
| OS grid square | SS53 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Bideford (8 mi), Tiverton (28 mi), Porthcawl (32 mi) |
| Distance from Plymouth | About 49 miles north |
| 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 Barnstaple
- Land that adjoins an existing town, village or housing estate
- A safe point of access onto a public road, or a realistic way to create one
- Mains water, drainage and electricity nearby
- Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan
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 affects the price
Planning status
Land with an implementable permission is worth far more than land with none, because the biggest risk has gone.
Access
A frontage onto an adopted road removes cost and uncertainty; a third party controlling access can cut value sharply.
Planning obligations
Affordable housing, Section 106 contributions and, in some areas, CIL reduce what a buyer can pay for the land.
Local sale values
The price new homes will sell for nearby sets the ceiling on what the land is worth.
Four routes to a sale
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.
From first call to completion
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
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
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.
Green belt and grey belt
Green belt land is protected from inappropriate development. National policy in England also recognises 'grey belt': green belt land that doesn't strongly contribute to key green belt purposes, where housing can be acceptable if further tests are met.
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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
- The address or postcode
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
Questions from landowners near Barnstaple
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.
Do you cover the villages around Barnstaple?
Yes. Villages between Barnstaple, Bideford and Tiverton often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Other land types and routes
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- 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 Barnstaple
- Development land in Devon
Get a straight answer about your land
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.