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Sell a small development site in Barnstaple

Our interest in small development sites around Barnstaple is simple: we're buying land to build homes on, so we look for sites where homes are realistic and price them on that basis.

A corner of land, an old yard or a large garden can make a small site for a few homes. We buy them, and our aim is to take them through planning to new homes.

  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged

Selling land near Barnstaple?

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

Land around Barnstaple

Barnstaple (EX31) sits in OS grid square SS53, roughly 49 miles north of Plymouth. Sites between here and Bideford or Porthcawl are just as much of interest to us.

A large rural county with Dartmoor and part of Exmoor, several national landscapes, and growth centred on Exeter, Plymouth and the market towns.

TownBarnstaple
CountyDevon
CountryEngland
Postcode districtEX31
OS grid squareSS53
Nearest towns we coverBideford (8 mi), Tiverton (28 mi), Porthcawl (32 mi)
Distance from PlymouthAbout 49 miles north
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Small grassy corner plot with mature trees at the end of a cul-de-sac of brick houses

What makes small development sites near Barnstaple worth an offer

  • Sites for two to around nine homes
  • Corner plots, odd-shaped parcels and leftover land
  • Land at the end of cul-de-sacs
  • Land within a settlement boundary

Government policy has repeatedly emphasised the role of small sites in housing supply. We'll check how your council's plan supports them.

The things that move our offer

Affordable housing thresholds

In England, schemes under ten homes usually fall below the national threshold; many Welsh plans seek affordable housing from smaller sites.

Access

A short private drive can serve a few homes; more need an adoptable road.

Trees and boundaries

Mature trees and hedges on small sites have a big effect on layout.

Build costs

Small sites cost more per home to build, which the land price reflects.

Choosing how to sell

Outright purchase

Simple where permission exists or you need certainty now.

Subject-to-planning sale

The most common route for small unconsented sites.

Option agreements

Useful if land needs assembling from more than one owner.

Joint ventures

Can suit owners who'd like to share in the homes' sale value.

From first call to completion

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  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. 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.

Biodiversity net gain

Under the Environment Act 2021, most developments in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity. Since 6 August 2026, sites of 0.2 hectares or less are exempt unless priority habitat is affected.

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.

When the land isn't straightforward

The site is an awkward shape

Odd shapes often still work for a short terrace or a pair of homes. We test layouts before offering.

There's a protected tree

We design around it and allow for root protection areas.

Useful to send us

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Common questions

What is a small site?

Usually a site for fewer than ten homes. Definitions vary, but these are the sites larger builders often pass over.

Do small sites need affordable housing?

In England, national policy generally doesn't seek affordable housing on schemes below ten homes, though some rural areas set lower thresholds. In Wales, many Local Development Plans seek contributions from smaller sites. We check the local policy.

How do you value a small site?

We work out what the homes would sell for, then deduct build costs, fees, finance, planning costs and a profit margin. What's left is the land value.

Do you cover the villages around Barnstaple?

Yes. Villages between Barnstaple, Bideford and Tiverton often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Nearby towns

Other land types and routes

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

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248