Sell land without planning permission in Christchurch
If you want to sell land without planning permission in Christchurch, 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.
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.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Where Christchurch sits
Land around Christchurch falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Bournemouth, 4 miles away, and New Milton, 5 miles away, and Bournemouth is 4 miles away.
Chalk downland and coast, much of it inside the Dorset National Landscape, with the South East Dorset green belt around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
| Town | Christchurch |
|---|---|
| County | Dorset |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | BH23 |
| OS grid square | SZ19 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Bournemouth (4 mi), New Milton (5 mi), Ferndown (7 mi) |
| Distance from Bournemouth | About 4 miles east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
Land we're keen to see around Christchurch
- Sites the council has assessed in its land availability study
- Land with a road frontage or a clear way to create access
- Land where neighbouring sites have recently gained permission
- Grazing land with no tenancy or with a tenancy that can be ended
Most land for sale has no planning permission. That does not stop a sale; it changes how the deal should be structured so the planning risk is shared sensibly.
How we arrive at a figure for land in Dorset
Hope value
The extra a buyer will pay for the chance of permission, which rises the closer the land is to existing homes.
Local plan position
Land allocated, or close to being allocated, for housing carries far more hope value.
Planning history
Past refusals and appeal decisions on the site and its neighbours shape the odds.
Access and services
Land that is easy to reach and connect is cheaper to promote and build on.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Certainty now, at a price that reflects the planning risk we take on.
Subject-to-planning sale
We exchange contracts now and complete once permission is granted.
Option agreements
We pay for the right to buy later and fund the planning work meanwhile.
Joint ventures
You keep a stake and share in the value planning creates.
What happens next
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
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 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.
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
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.
You don't want to wait years
Then an outright sale at a lower, risk-adjusted price may suit you better, and we will say so.
Useful to send us
- The address or postcode
- Your title number, if you know it
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
What people ask us about land without planning permission
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 the green belt?
Sometimes. Green belt land is hard to develop, though England's planning policy now recognises 'grey belt' land. We will tell you frankly whether your site has a realistic prospect.
Can you visit land near Christchurch?
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.
Land without planning permission near Christchurch
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- 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 Christchurch
- Land without planning permission in Dorset
Get a straight answer about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.