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Sell land with planning permission in Dorchester

If you own land around Dorchester and want a straight answer about it, we'll tell you whether we can buy it, on what terms, and what the offer is based on.

Land with planning permission has consent from the local planning authority to build a specific development, either in outline (the principle) or in full (the detailed design). We buy consented sites directly, check the permission and its conditions, and make an offer you can accept without marketing the land.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • Independent advice encouraged

Selling land near Dorchester?

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Land around Dorchester

Our appraisals for Dorchester start with the DT1 postcode district and the OS grid square SY69, then widen out to Weymouth, Portland and Yeovil, all within about 18 miles.

Chalk downland and coast, much of it inside the Dorset National Landscape, with the South East Dorset green belt around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

TownDorchester
CountyDorset
CountryEngland
Postcode districtDT1
OS grid squareSY69
Nearest towns we coverWeymouth (7 mi), Portland (10 mi), Yeovil (18 mi)
Distance from BournemouthAbout 24 miles west
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Greenfield site with timber setting-out pegs and orange tape beside a temporary mesh fence

Is your land near Dorchester a good fit?

  • Full or outline permission for one home or more
  • Permissions that are still within their time limit, or have been lawfully started
  • Prior approvals for conversions, such as agricultural buildings to homes
  • Lapsed or lapsing permissions, which we can look at renewing

A site with a live planning permission is the simplest land to sell. The main questions are whether the permission is still valid, what its conditions require and how much the Section 106 agreement costs to deliver.

The things that move our offer

Type of permission

Full permission carries less risk than outline, which still needs reserved matters approval.

Time left on the permission

A permission close to expiry may need a quick start or a fresh application, and that affects price.

Section 106 and CIL

Affordable housing and financial contributions come straight off what a buyer can pay.

Abnormal costs

Retaining walls, drainage works or contamination add cost beyond a normal build.

Choosing how to sell

Outright purchase

The usual route for consented land: agree a price, then exchange and complete.

Subject-to-planning sale

Useful if you want us to improve or renew the permission before completion.

Option agreements

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Joint ventures

An option if you would like a share of the profit from building the homes.

From first call to completion

  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. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Dorset

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.

Agricultural buildings (Class Q)

In England, Class Q permitted development can allow some agricultural buildings to become homes through prior approval, within limits on size and number of homes.

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 permission is about to expire

In England a full permission normally lasts three years and in Wales five. We check whether a lawful start has been made or whether a new application is the better route.

The Section 106 makes the scheme unviable

If costs have moved since consent, a viability review or a variation may be possible. We will tell you if we think that is realistic.

Useful to send us

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

What people ask us about land with planning permission

How long does planning permission last?

In England, full planning permission usually requires work to start within three years, and in Wales within five, unless the decision notice says otherwise. Outline permissions have separate time limits for reserved matters. The decision notice sets out the exact dates.

Does a permission go with the land when I sell?

Yes. Planning permission attaches to the land, not to the owner, so it passes to the buyer automatically.

Can I sell a plot with prior approval for a barn conversion?

Yes. Prior approvals are time limited and have their own rules, so we check the approval and the building before making an offer.

Can you visit land near Dorchester?

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.

Nearby towns

Other land in Dorchester

Ready to talk about your land in Dorchester?

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248