Sell land subject to planning in East Sussex
We offer a subject-to-planning sale on land across East Sussex, including sites around Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
If your land has a good chance of permission but doesn't have it yet, a subject-to-planning deal usually achieves more than an outright sale.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
Get an offer for land in East Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Subject-to-planning sale in East Sussex at a glance
Much of the county lies in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald National Landscape, which limits greenfield development outside the towns.
| County | East Sussex |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 10 |
| Main town | Brighton |
| Example postcode districts | BN2, BN3, BN21, BN25, BN27 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Timescale | Planning period, often months |
Is a subject-to-planning sale right for your land?
- Building plots and garden land without permission
- Small sites with a clear planning case
- Land where a previous permission has lapsed
- Owners willing to wait for a higher price
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
If your land has a good chance of permission but doesn't have it yet, a subject-to-planning deal usually achieves more than an outright sale.
What to check in a subject-to-planning sale
Price basis
The price is set against the land's value with permission, so it's usually higher than an unconditional offer.
Acceptable permission
The contract defines what counts as an acceptable consent.
Deposit
A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.
Your use meanwhile
You normally keep using the land until completion.
Land a subject-to-planning sale works for in East Sussex
Development land in East Sussex
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Land with planning permission in East Sussex
Useful if you want us to improve or renew the permission before completion.
Building plots in East Sussex
We buy once permission is granted for an agreed scheme.
Brownfield land in East Sussex
We complete once permission is granted for a housing scheme.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in East Sussex
We complete once housing is approved, with your business using the site meanwhile.
Inherited and probate land in East Sussex
Possible if beneficiaries are happy to wait for a higher price.
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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Planning and legal points for land in East Sussex
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
- Your title number, if you know it
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Questions from landowners in East Sussex
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 buy land in East Sussex?
Yes. We consider land across East Sussex, from Brighton to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.
Subject-to-planning sale by town in East Sussex
Find out what we'd pay for your land in East Sussex
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.