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Sell development land in North Yorkshire

Owners of development land in North Yorkshire can sell directly to us, whether the land is near York, Middlesbrough and Harrogate or in the villages between.

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

Get an offer for land in North Yorkshire

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Development land in North Yorkshire at a glance

England's largest county, taking in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, with green belt around York.

CountyNorth Yorkshire
CountryEngland
Towns we cover here10
Main townYork
Example postcode districtsDL6, HG1, TS1, TS10, TS14
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Grass field beside the back gardens of a modern housing estate, with a field gate onto the road

What we look for in North Yorkshire

  • Land that adjoins an existing town, village or housing estate
  • Sites from around a quarter of an acre upwards
  • Land outside the highest-risk flood zones, or where flood risk can be designed out
  • Mains water, drainage and electricity nearby
  • Land with a planning history we can build on, even if earlier applications were refused

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.

How we arrive at a figure for land in North Yorkshire

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.

Ecology and trees

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

Ways to sell this land

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 happens next

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  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. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

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.

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.

Common problems, and how we handle them

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.

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.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

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.

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.

Do you buy land in North Yorkshire?

Yes. We consider land across North Yorkshire, from York to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.

Find out what we'd pay for your land in North Yorkshire

Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.