Sell land for affordable homes in Southport
Whether your land is in Southport itself or in the villages between Southport and Formby, we'll look at it properly before making any offer.
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
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Southport
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Southport at a glance
Southport lies in Merseyside, about 16 miles north of Liverpool. Nearby, we also look at land around Formby (7 miles), Lytham St Annes (7 miles) and Ormskirk (8 miles).
Largely urban, with substantial brownfield land in Liverpool and the surrounding boroughs and green belt around the edges.
| Town | Southport |
|---|---|
| County | Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | PR8 |
| OS grid square | SD31 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Formby (7 mi), Lytham St Annes (7 mi), Ormskirk (8 mi) |
| Distance from Liverpool | About 16 miles north |
| 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 Southport
- Sites with safe access and walking routes to village facilities
- Land suitable for a handful of homes up to a small scheme
- Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities
- Sites where a small share of market homes could help viability, where policy allows it
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.
What decides the value of land for affordable housing near Southport
Local policy
Each council sets its own rules for exception sites, including whether any market homes are allowed.
Tenure mix
Social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership homes produce different values.
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.
Choosing how to sell
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 check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
Planning and legal points for land in Merseyside
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
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.
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
- Your title number, if you know it
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
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.
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 cover the villages around Southport?
Yes. Villages between Southport, Formby and Lytham St Annes often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Other land in Southport
- 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 Southport
- Land for affordable homes in Merseyside
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Southport
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.