Sell land for affordable homes in Cirencester
We consider land for affordable housing in Cirencester and across Gloucestershire, from sites close to the GL7 postcode district out towards Stroud and Cheltenham.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Cirencester?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land around Cirencester
The land we're most interested in near Cirencester sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Stroud (10 miles) and Cheltenham (13 miles).
The Cotswolds National Landscape on the high ground, the Severn vale below, and green belt keeping Gloucester and Cheltenham apart.
| Town | Cirencester |
|---|---|
| County | Gloucestershire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | GL7 |
| OS grid square | SP00 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Stroud (10 mi), Cheltenham (13 mi), Swindon (14 mi) |
| Distance from Gloucester | About 15 miles south-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 Cirencester
- Villages with evidence of local housing need
- Land suitable for a handful of homes up to a small scheme
- Parish councils open to a community-led scheme
- Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities
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 decides the value of land for affordable housing near Cirencester
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.
Scheme size
Exception sites are usually small and proportionate to the village.
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
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
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.
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
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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
What people ask us about land for affordable housing
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.
How do I get an offer for land in Cirencester?
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 Cirencester
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- 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 Cirencester
- Land for affordable homes in Gloucestershire
Get a straight answer about your land
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.