Land we buyWays to sellAreasGuidesAbout Contact Get an offer

Sell land without planning permission in Barnet

For owners of land without planning permission in and around Barnet, we offer four ways to sell, from a clean outright purchase to deals that pay more once planning is granted.

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

Get an offer for land in Barnet

Send the postcode and a rough size.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

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

Barnet at a glance

The land we're most interested in near Barnet sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Hadley Wood (2 miles) and Potters Bar (3 miles).

Land is scarce and mostly brownfield. The outer boroughs contain Metropolitan Green Belt and metropolitan open land, both closely protected.

TownBarnet
CountyGreater London
CountryEngland
Postcode districtEN5
OS grid squareTQ29
Nearest towns we coverHadley Wood (2 mi), Potters Bar (3 mi), Borehamwood (3 mi)
Distance from central LondonAbout 10 miles north
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 Barnet 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
  • 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.

What decides the value of land without planning permission near Barnet

Local plan position

Land allocated, or close to being allocated, for housing carries far more hope value.

Access and services

Land that is easy to reach and connect is cheaper to promote and build on.

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 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 Greater London

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.

Awkward details we deal with

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 plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access

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.

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.

How do I get an offer for land in Barnet?

Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.

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.