Sell land for affordable homes in Lancaster
Thinking about whether to sell land for affordable homes in Lancaster? A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and how we got there, with no obligation to go further.
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
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Lancaster?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land around Lancaster
Lancaster (LA1) sits in OS grid square SD46, about 20 miles north of Preston. Sites between here and Morecambe or Thornton-Cleveleys are just as much of interest to us.
| Town | Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | LA1 |
| OS grid square | SD46 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Morecambe (3 mi), Fleetwood (12 mi), Thornton-Cleveleys (15 mi) |
| Distance from Preston | About 20 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
Land we're keen to see around Lancaster
- 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
- Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities
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.
How we arrive at a figure for land in Lancashire
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.
Ways to sell this land
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.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
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.
Rules that apply in England
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Your questions answered
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.
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 Lancaster?
Yes. We consider land in and around Lancaster and across Lancashire. 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 Lancaster
More land we buy in Lancaster
- 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 Lancaster
- Land for affordable homes in Lancashire
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Lancaster
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.