Sell land without planning permission in Shoreham-by-Sea
Whether your land is in Shoreham-by-Sea itself or in the villages between Shoreham-by-Sea and Portslade, 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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
Get an offer for land in Shoreham-by-Sea
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Where Shoreham-by-Sea sits
The land we're most interested in near Shoreham-by-Sea sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Portslade (3 miles) and Worthing (5 miles).
The South Downs National Park, Chichester Harbour and High Weald National Landscapes, and water neutrality rules that have affected new homes in the north of the county.
| Town | Shoreham-by-Sea |
|---|---|
| County | West Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | BN43 |
| OS grid square | TQ20 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Portslade (3 mi), Worthing (5 mi), Hove (5 mi) |
| Distance from Crawley | About 20 miles south |
| 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 Shoreham-by-Sea
- 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
If you'd rather not wait for planning, an outright sale gives certainty now. If you can wait, a subject-to-planning or option deal usually pays more in the end.
What decides the value of land without planning permission near Shoreham-by-Sea
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.
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.
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.
How a sale works
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
What England's rules mean for your land
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.
A neighbour objects to everything
Objections are weighed against planning policy, not counted. We judge the scheme on policy grounds.
Useful to send us
- The address or postcode
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
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.
What happens if planning is refused?
On a conditional contract or option, if permission is not granted within the agreed period the deal ends and you keep the land. Any option fee paid is usually yours to keep.
Do you cover the villages around Shoreham-by-Sea?
Yes. Villages between Shoreham-by-Sea, Portslade and Worthing often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Also near Shoreham-by-Sea
Other land in Shoreham-by-Sea
- 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 Shoreham-by-Sea
- Land without planning permission in West Sussex
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.