Sell land without planning permission in Brighton
We buy land without planning permission across East Sussex. In Brighton, as everywhere, the offer depends on the land itself: its access, its planning prospects and what can sensibly be built.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Brighton
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Where Brighton sits
Brighton lies in East Sussex, where it is the main town we cover. Nearby, we also look at land around Hove (1 mile), Portslade (3 miles) and Rottingdean (4 miles).
Much of the county lies in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald National Landscape, which limits greenfield development outside the towns.
| Town | Brighton |
|---|---|
| County | East Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | BN2 |
| OS grid square | TQ30 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Hove (1 mi), Portslade (3 mi), Rottingdean (4 mi) |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What we look for around Brighton
- 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
- 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.
The things that move our offer
Current use value
Agricultural or amenity value is the floor under any offer.
Local plan position
Land allocated, or close to being allocated, for housing carries far more hope value.
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.
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 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 East Sussex
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.
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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
What people ask us about land without planning permission
Can I sell land without planning permission?
Yes. Land without consent is bought and sold every day. The question is whether you want a lower price now or a higher price later that depends on permission being granted.
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.
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.
Can you visit land near Brighton?
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 Brighton
More land we buy in Brighton
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- 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 Brighton
- Land without planning permission in East Sussex
Ready to talk about your land in Brighton?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.