Sell land subject to planning in Barnstaple
Before you agree a subject-to-planning sale on land near Barnstaple, it helps to know exactly when you'd be paid, who carries the planning risk and how the price is set.
A subject-to-planning sale, or conditional contract, is a sale where contracts are exchanged now but completion only happens once an acceptable planning permission is granted. It lets you agree a price based on the land's value with permission, while the buyer pays for and manages the application.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- We fund the planning work
Selling land near Barnstaple?
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
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.
| Town | Barnstaple |
|---|---|
| County | Devon |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | EX31 |
| OS grid square | SS53 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Bideford (8 mi), Tiverton (28 mi), Porthcawl (32 mi) |
| Distance from Plymouth | About 49 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Planning costs | Ours |
Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for
- Land where a previous permission has lapsed
- Owners willing to wait for a higher price
- Land with a registered title
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
This route suits most building plots, garden land and small sites, where the planning process can be measured in months rather than years.
The terms that matter
Long-stop date
If permission isn't granted by an agreed date, either side can end the contract.
Acceptable permission
The contract defines what counts as an acceptable consent.
Appeals
Contracts say whether we can appeal a refusal and how long that adds.
Price adjustments
Some contracts adjust the price for the number of homes approved.
Land near Barnstaple that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Development land in Barnstaple
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Large strategic sites in Barnstaple
A fixed or formula price paid once an acceptable permission is granted.
Paddocks and equestrian land in Barnstaple
We complete once homes are approved on the paddock.
Garage sites in Barnstaple
The most common route for garage courts.
From first call to completion
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
Planning and legal points for land in Devon
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
You're worried about being tied up indefinitely
A long-stop date sets the maximum time. If permission isn't granted by then, you're free.
You want to know what 'acceptable' permission means
The contract defines it, such as a minimum number of homes. Your solicitor should check it carefully.
Useful to send us
- The address or postcode
- Any planning applications or letters
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Your questions answered
What is a subject-to-planning sale?
A sale where contracts are exchanged now, but completion depends on planning permission being granted. If it isn't granted by the long-stop date, the contract can end.
Who pays for the planning application?
We do, along with the surveys and consultants needed to support it.
How long does the planning stage take?
In England the statutory period is eight weeks for most applications and thirteen for major ones; in Wales it's eight weeks. Both extend to sixteen weeks where an environmental impact assessment is needed, and surveys, validation and negotiation often add time.
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.
Other land in Barnstaple
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Land for affordable homes
- 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
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Barnstaple
- Subject-to-planning sale in Devon
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Barnstaple
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.