Sell land without planning permission in Romford
Whether your land is in Romford itself or in the villages between Romford and Hornchurch, we'll look at it properly before making any offer.
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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Romford?
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Where Romford sits
Land around Romford falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Hornchurch, 2 miles away, and Dagenham, 2 miles away, and central London is 14 miles away.
| Town | Romford |
|---|---|
| County | Greater London |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | RM1 |
| OS grid square | TQ58 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Hornchurch (2 mi), Dagenham (2 mi), Becontree (3 mi) |
| Distance from central London | About 14 miles east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What makes land without planning permission near Romford worth an offer
- Fields and paddocks on the edge of settlements
- Land inside or touching a settlement boundary in the local plan
- 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 affects the price
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.
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.
Ways to sell this land
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.
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.
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.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- 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.
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.
Do you cover the villages around Romford?
Yes. Villages between Romford, Hornchurch and Dagenham often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Land without planning permission near Romford
More land we buy in Romford
- 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 Romford
- Land without planning permission in Greater London
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Romford
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.