Sell landlocked land or land with access problems in Paignton
Our interest in landlocked land around Paignton is simple: we're buying land to build homes on, so we look for sites where homes are realistic and price them on that basis.
Landlocked land has no direct access to a public road, either because it's surrounded by other land or because the only route crosses a strip owned by someone else (a ransom strip). Its value depends on whether access can be secured, and at what cost.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Land around Paignton
Paignton (TQ3) sits in OS grid square SX86, about 26 miles east of Plymouth. Sites between here and Torquay or Exmouth are just as much of interest to us.
A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.
| Town | Paignton |
|---|---|
| County | Devon |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | TQ3 |
| OS grid square | SX86 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Torquay (3 mi), Newton Abbot (7 mi), Exmouth (14 mi) |
| Distance from Plymouth | About 26 miles east |
| 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 Paignton
- Ransom strips and narrow access plots
- Land with disputed or unclear rights of way
- Backland behind houses with no frontage
- Small strips that control access to larger sites
We look at the title plans for your land and its neighbours to find the realistic ways in, then price the land on that basis.
What affects the price
Existing rights
Rights of way in the deeds may already allow some use, though not necessarily for new homes.
Ransom value
Strips controlling access to development land can command a share of its value.
Prescriptive rights
Long use can sometimes create rights, which need legal advice.
Amenity use
Without access, value may be limited to grazing or adjoining owners.
Four routes to a sale
Outright purchase
At a price that reflects the access risk we take on.
Subject-to-planning sale
We complete once access and permission are secured.
Option agreements
Useful while access is negotiated with neighbours.
Joint ventures
Often the best way to combine landlocked land with the land that gives access.
What happens next
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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
Planning and legal points for land in Devon
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.
Land registration
Land in England is registered with HM Land Registry. Unregistered land needs first registration when it's sold, which your solicitor arranges.
When the land isn't straightforward
The only route is over a neighbour's land
We can approach the neighbour about a joint scheme or an access agreement.
You own a strip someone else needs
We'll explain how ransom value is typically assessed so you can negotiate from a sound position.
Useful to send us
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
How is a ransom strip valued?
There's no fixed rule. Valuations often refer to a share of the uplift in value the access unlocks. Take advice from a surveyor.
Does a right of way allow access for new homes?
Not always. A right of way granted for agricultural use may not cover residential traffic. Your solicitor will check.
Can long use of a track create a right?
Sometimes. Rights can arise through long use in certain circumstances, but it needs legal advice.
How do I get an offer for land in Paignton?
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.
More land we buy in Paignton
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without 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
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Paignton
- Landlocked land and access problems in Devon
Ready to talk about your land in Paignton?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.