Sell land subject to planning in Portland
If you own land near Portland, you may be wondering whether a subject-to-planning sale would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.
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
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Selling land near Portland?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Portland at a glance
Portland (DT5) sits in OS grid square SY67, roughly 27 miles south-west of Bournemouth. Sites between here and Weymouth or Poole are just as much of interest to us.
Chalk downland and coast, much of it inside the Dorset National Landscape, with the South East Dorset green belt around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
| Town | Portland |
|---|---|
| County | Dorset |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | DT5 |
| OS grid square | SY67 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Weymouth (3 mi), Dorchester (10 mi), Poole (23 mi) |
| Distance from Bournemouth | About 27 miles south-west |
| 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
- Building plots and garden land without permission
- Small sites with a clear planning case
- Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
A conditional contract shares the planning risk fairly. You agree a price today, we fund and run the planning application, and the sale completes if permission comes through.
The terms that matter
Price basis
The price is set against the land's value with permission, so it's usually higher than an unconditional offer.
Appeals
Contracts say whether we can appeal a refusal and how long that adds.
Deposit
A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.
Price adjustments
Some contracts adjust the price for the number of homes approved.
Land near Portland that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Building plots in Portland
We buy once permission is granted for an agreed scheme.
Small sites in Portland
The most common route for small unconsented sites.
Garage sites in Portland
The most common route for garage courts.
Inherited and probate land in Portland
Possible if beneficiaries are happy to wait for a higher price.
From first call to completion
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.
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.
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Any planning applications or letters
Questions from landowners near Portland
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.
What happens if planning is refused?
We may appeal if the contract allows. If permission isn't secured by the long-stop date, the contract ends and you keep your land.
Do I get a deposit?
A deposit is usually paid on exchange, with terms set out in the contract.
Do you buy land in Portland?
Yes. We consider land in and around Portland and across Dorset. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- 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 Portland
- Subject-to-planning sale in Dorset
Get a straight answer about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.