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Sell land without planning permission in St Austell

Whether your land is in St Austell itself or in the villages between St Austell and Bodmin, we'll look at it properly before making any offer.

Land without planning permission is any land that has no current consent for building. You can still sell it: either outright at a price that reflects its present use and the chance of permission (hope value), or on a conditional or option basis that pays more if permission is granted.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

Selling land near St Austell?

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.

St Austell at a glance

St Austell lies in Cornwall, roughly 13 miles north-east of Truro. Nearby, we also look at land around Bodmin (9 miles), Truro (13 miles) and Newquay (14 miles).

A mostly rural county with much of its coast inside the Cornwall National Landscape. New homes are concentrated in and around the main towns.

TownSt Austell
CountyCornwall
CountryEngland
Postcode districtPL25
OS grid squareSX05
Nearest towns we coverBodmin (9 mi), Truro (13 mi), Newquay (14 mi)
Distance from TruroAbout 13 miles north-east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Rolling pasture field seen over a galvanised five-bar gate with an oak tree beyond

Is your land near St Austell a good fit?

  • Sites the council has assessed in its land availability study
  • Land with a road frontage or a clear way to create access
  • Former orchards, nurseries and smallholdings
  • Land where neighbouring sites have recently gained permission

Without consent, land is valued on its current use plus whatever hope value its location supports. We will explain how much of our offer is each, so you can see what you are being paid for.

What decides the value of land without planning permission near St Austell

Hope value

The extra a buyer will pay for the chance of permission, which rises the closer the land is to existing homes.

Planning history

Past refusals and appeal decisions on the site and its neighbours shape the odds.

Constraints

Green belt, flood zones, heritage and landscape designations reduce the chance of consent.

Deal structure

Conditional and option deals can pay more because the price is fixed against value with permission.

How a sale works

  1. Send us the address

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

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  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.

Rules that apply in England

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.

Farm tenancies

Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies and farm business tenancies have their own notice and compensation rules, which affect when land can be developed.

When the land isn't straightforward

The council says the land is outside the settlement

Settlement boundaries change when plans are reviewed. We look at the plan timetable and whether the site could be promoted at the next review.

A neighbour objects to everything

Objections are weighed against planning policy, not counted. We judge the scheme on policy grounds.

Useful to send us

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

What people ask us about land without planning permission

What is hope value?

Hope value is the premium a buyer pays above the current use value because there is a realistic prospect of planning permission. It is higher the more likely and closer that permission is.

Who pays for the planning application?

On subject-to-planning and option deals we normally fund the planning work. On an outright purchase it is our risk and our cost after completion.

Will getting permission myself increase the price?

It can, but applications cost money and carry risk. We can talk through whether it makes sense for you to apply or for us to do it under a contract.

Do you buy land in St Austell?

Yes. We consider land in and around St Austell and across Cornwall. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Get a straight answer about your land

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