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Sell land for affordable homes in Ely

Selling land for affordable housing near Ely doesn't have to start with an agent and a marketing campaign. You can talk to a buyer first and still take independent advice before you decide.

A rural exception site is a small site on the edge of a village, where housing would not normally be allowed, that can be granted permission for affordable homes to meet a local need. Land sold for this purpose usually achieves more than farmland value, though less than open-market housing land.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • No pressure to decide

Tell us about your land

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

Please enter your name.
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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.

Ely at a glance

Ely lies in Cambridgeshire, some 25 miles south-east of Peterborough. Nearby, we also look at land around Mildenhall (11 miles), Newmarket (12 miles) and March (13 miles).

TownEly
CountyCambridgeshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCB7
OS grid squareTL58
Nearest towns we coverMildenhall (11 mi), Newmarket (12 mi), March (13 mi)
Distance from PeterboroughAbout 25 miles south-east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Small group of new brick homes with slate roofs on the edge of a village

Land we're keen to see around Ely

  • Small fields or paddocks adjoining a village
  • Sites with safe access and walking routes to village facilities
  • Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities
  • Sites where a small share of market homes could help viability, where policy allows it

Many landowners like the idea of land helping local families. We explain how exception sites work, what the price is based on and how local need is shown.

What affects the price

Land price norms

Exception site land is typically priced well above farmland but below open-market housing land.

Tenure mix

Social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership homes produce different values.

Scheme size

Exception sites are usually small and proportionate to the village.

Access and services

Costs of roads and drainage come out of a smaller budget than market housing.

Four routes to a sale

Outright purchase

Possible once an exception scheme has permission.

Subject-to-planning sale

The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.

Option agreements

Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.

Joint ventures

Can suit estates and charities that want an ongoing say in the homes.

From first call to completion

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Cambridgeshire

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.

Section 106 and CIL

Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.

Rural exception sites

The National Planning Policy Framework supports small rural exception sites for affordable homes that meet a local need.

Common problems, and how we handle them

You're worried about the price

Exception site land sells for less than market housing land by design. We'll show you the basis so you can compare it with farmland value.

The village has no recent housing survey

Need can be evidenced through a new survey with the parish council and the council's housing team.

Useful to send us

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Common questions

Will I get open-market land value?

No. Exception sites are priced below open-market housing land because the homes must stay affordable. The price is still usually well above agricultural value.

Can some homes be sold on the open market?

Some councils allow a small number of market homes to make a scheme viable. It depends on local policy.

Do you plan affordable housing?

Yes. Affordable and social housing is part of the land-to-homes work the S&K Group is setting out to do, and we can talk through how a scheme on your land might work.

Do you buy land in Ely?

Yes. We consider land in and around Ely and across Cambridgeshire. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

Land for affordable homes near Ely

More land we buy in Ely

Find out what we'd pay for your land near Ely

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248