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Sell development land in Harpenden

For owners of development land in and around Harpenden, we offer four ways to sell, from a clean outright purchase to deals that pay more once planning is granted.

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

Tell us about your land

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

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

Where Harpenden sits

Harpenden (AL5) sits in OS grid square TL11, roughly 11 miles north of Watford. Sites between here and St Albans or Hemel Hempstead are just as much of interest to us.

Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, which makes land with genuine development prospects scarce and keenly contested.

TownHarpenden
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtAL5
OS grid squareTL11
Nearest towns we coverSt Albans (5 mi), Luton (5 mi), Hemel Hempstead (6 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 11 miles north
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Grass field beside the back gardens of a modern housing estate, with a field gate onto the road

Is your land near Harpenden a good fit?

  • A safe point of access onto a public road, or a realistic way to create one
  • Sites from around a quarter of an acre upwards
  • Mains water, drainage and electricity nearby
  • Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan

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.

How we arrive at a figure for land in Hertfordshire

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.

Ground and drainage

Poor ground, contamination or the need for a pumping station all add build cost that comes off the land price.

Ecology and trees

Protected species, ancient hedgerows and tree preservation orders can reduce the developable area.

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.

How a sale works

  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. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Hertfordshire

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.

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
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

Common questions

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.

Will I pay any fees to you?

No. We are the buyer, not an agent, so there is no commission. You will normally pay your own solicitor unless we agree otherwise in writing.

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.

How do I get an offer for land in Harpenden?

Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.

Nearby towns

Other land types and routes

Find out what we'd pay for your land near Harpenden

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248