Sell development land in Canterbury

If you want to sell development land in Canterbury, you can deal with the buyer directly. We look at the land, explain what it's worth and why, and leave the decision with you.

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
No pressure to decide

Selling land near Canterbury?

Send the postcode and a rough size.

Land around Canterbury

From Canterbury, it's 6 miles to Whitstable and 7 miles to Herne Bay. We buy land across that whole stretch of Kent, not only within the town.

Metropolitan Green Belt in the west, the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes, and growth around Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway towns.

Town	Canterbury
County	Kent
Country	England
Postcode district	CT1
OS grid square	TR15
Nearest towns we cover	Whitstable (6 mi), Herne Bay (7 mi), Faversham (9 mi)
Distance from Maidstone	About 24 miles east
Planning system	National Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sell	Outright, 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

What makes development land near Canterbury worth an offer

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
Mains water, drainage and electricity nearby
Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan

Most development land starts life as an ordinary field. What makes it valuable is where it sits: next to existing homes, close to a road, inside or near a settlement boundary. We assess those things first and give you a straight answer.

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.

Planning obligations

Affordable housing, Section 106 contributions and, in some areas, CIL reduce what a buyer can pay for the land.

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.

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.

What happens next

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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Kent

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.

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.

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

The address or postcode
A rough size, in acres or hectares
Any planning applications or letters
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.

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.

Can you visit land near Canterbury?

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.

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

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

Get an offer Call 0800 088 6248