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Sell land for affordable homes in Ferndown

We consider land for affordable housing in Ferndown and across Dorset, from sites close to the BH22 postcode district out towards Wimborne Minster and Verwood.

Exception sites work differently from normal housing land. The price is lower than open-market development land but well above agricultural value, and the homes stay affordable for the community.

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

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

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

Ferndown at a glance

Ferndown (BH22) sits in OS grid square SU00, about 6 miles north of Bournemouth. Sites between here and Wimborne Minster or Canford Heath are just as much of interest to us.

Chalk downland and coast, much of it inside the Dorset National Landscape, with the South East Dorset green belt around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

TownFerndown
CountyDorset
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBH22
OS grid squareSU00
Nearest towns we coverWimborne Minster (4 mi), Verwood (5 mi), Canford Heath (5 mi)
Distance from BournemouthAbout 6 miles north
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

What makes land for affordable housing near Ferndown worth an offer

  • Villages with evidence of local housing need
  • Sites with safe access and walking routes to village facilities
  • Parish councils open to a community-led scheme
  • Sites where a small share of market homes could help viability, where policy allows it

Affordable and social housing is part of the land-to-homes work we're setting out to do. If you own land on the edge of a village and want it to house local people, a rural exception scheme may be the right route.

What affects the price

Local policy

Each council sets its own rules for exception sites, including whether any market homes are allowed.

Housing need

A local housing needs survey usually has to show demand for the homes.

Access and services

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

Long-term control

Legal agreements keep the homes affordable, often with local occupancy rules.

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. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Dorset

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

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

Your questions answered

What is a rural exception site?

It is a small site, usually next to a village, where planning permission can be granted for affordable homes as an exception to normal policy, to meet a proven local need.

Do rural exception sites exist in Wales?

Yes. Welsh planning policy also supports rural exception sites for affordable housing that meets local need.

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.

Do you cover the villages around Ferndown?

Yes. Villages between Ferndown, Wimborne Minster and Verwood often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Land for affordable homes near Ferndown

Other land types and routes

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

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248