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Sell land for affordable homes in Grays

Selling land for affordable housing near Grays 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
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Grays at a glance

Our appraisals for Grays start with the RM17 postcode district and the OS grid square TQ67, then widen out to South Ockendon, Gravesend and Dartford, all within about 5 miles.

Metropolitan Green Belt covers the south and west of the county, while mid and north Essex have larger areas of farmland around growing towns.

TownGrays
CountyEssex
CountryEngland
Postcode districtRM17
OS grid squareTQ67
Nearest towns we coverSouth Ockendon (3 mi), Gravesend (3 mi), Dartford (5 mi)
Distance from Southend-on-SeaAbout 17 miles west
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 we look for around Grays

  • 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

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

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.

Land price norms

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

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 check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  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.

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.

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.

Awkward details we deal with

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.

You're a charity or trust

Charity trustees usually need advice from a designated adviser before disposing of land. We'll work with your adviser.

Useful to send us

  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Grays

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.

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.

Who lives in the homes?

Usually people with a local connection who can't afford market housing, chosen under rules set in a legal agreement.

Do you buy land in Grays?

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

Nearby towns

Other land in Grays

Ready to talk about your land in Grays?

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248