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Sell development land in Hertford

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

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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them

Get an offer for land in Hertford

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 Hertford sits

Hertford (SG13) sits in OS grid square TL31, roughly 17 miles north-east of Watford. Sites between here and Hoddesdon or Hatfield 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.

TownHertford
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSG13
OS grid squareTL31
Nearest towns we coverHoddesdon (4 mi), Welwyn Garden City (6 mi), Hatfield (7 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 17 miles north-east
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

Land we're keen to see around Hertford

  • 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

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.

What decides the value of development land near Hertford

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.

Local sale values

The price new homes will sell for nearby sets the ceiling on what the land is worth.

Ecology and trees

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

Choosing how to sell

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.

What happens next

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  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

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.

Awkward details we deal with

The access is over someone else's land

We check the title for rights of way and, where needed, factor in the cost of buying or negotiating access.

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

  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Hertford

Do you buy development land without planning permission?

Yes. Without permission we usually buy on a subject-to-planning contract or an option, so the price reflects value with permission rather than farmland value. If you need a quick, unconditional sale, we can also make an outright offer that reflects the planning risk.

How long does it take to sell development land?

With permission and clean title, a sale can move as fast as the solicitors can complete the legal work. Without permission, timing depends on the planning process, which commonly takes many months and sometimes years for larger sites.

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 Hertford?

Yes. Villages between Hertford, Hoddesdon and Welwyn Garden City often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Also near Hertford

More land we buy in Hertford

Ready to talk about your land in Hertford?

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248