Sell development land in Cowes
Selling development land near Cowes doesn't have to start with an agent and a marketing campaign. You can talk to a buyer first and still take independent advice before you decide.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Cowes?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Where Cowes sits
From Cowes, it's 4 miles to Newport, Isle of Wight and 6 miles to Ryde. We buy land across that whole stretch of the Isle of Wight, not only within the town.
Around half the island is a national landscape. New homes are focused on the main towns and shaped by the island's setting.
| Town | Cowes |
|---|---|
| County | Isle of Wight |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | PO31 |
| OS grid square | SZ49 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Newport, Isle of Wight (4 mi), Ryde (6 mi), Gosport (8 mi) |
| Distance from Newport | About 4 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 Cowes
- Sites from around a quarter of an acre upwards
- 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 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.
Ground and drainage
Poor ground, contamination or the need for a pumping station all add build cost that comes off the land price.
Local sale values
The price new homes will sell for nearby sets the ceiling on what the land is worth.
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
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
What England's rules mean for your land
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.
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 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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
Your questions answered
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.
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.
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.
Can you visit land near Cowes?
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.
Development land near Cowes
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 Cowes
- Development land in the Isle of Wight
Get a straight answer about your land
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.