Sell land subject to planning in Brighton
Before you agree a subject-to-planning sale on land near Brighton, 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.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- We fund the planning work
Selling land near Brighton?
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land around Brighton
Brighton (BN2) sits in OS grid square TQ30, where it is the main town we cover. Sites between here and Hove or Rottingdean are just as much of interest to us.
Much of the county lies in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald National Landscape, which limits greenfield development outside the towns.
| Town | Brighton |
|---|---|
| County | East Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | BN2 |
| OS grid square | TQ30 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Hove (1 mi), Portslade (3 mi), Rottingdean (4 mi) |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Planning costs | Ours |
When a subject-to-planning sale suits land near Brighton
- Building plots and garden land without permission
- Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
- Owners willing to wait for a higher price
- Land with a registered title
This route suits most building plots, garden land and small sites, where the planning process can be measured in months rather than years.
What to check in a subject-to-planning sale
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.
Price adjustments
Some contracts adjust the price for the number of homes approved.
Your use meanwhile
You normally keep using the land until completion.
Land near Brighton that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Development land in Brighton
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Land for affordable homes in Brighton
The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.
Farmland and agricultural land in Brighton
Higher price paid when permission is granted on the field.
Infill plots and gap sites in Brighton
The usual route for unconsented gap sites.
How a sale works
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.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
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.
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're worried we'll get permission for something you don't like
The contract can set out the scheme or limits on what we apply for.
Useful to send us
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
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.
Can I still use the land before completion?
Usually yes, until we need access for surveys or until completion.
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 Brighton?
Yes. Villages between Brighton, Hove and Portslade often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
Subject-to-planning sale near Brighton
More land we buy in Brighton
- 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 Brighton
- Subject-to-planning sale in East Sussex
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Brighton
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.