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Sell land subject to planning in Harpenden

For owners in Harpenden and the AL5 area, a subject-to-planning sale is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

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.

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

Selling land near Harpenden?

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

Harpenden at a glance

Harpenden lies in Hertfordshire, roughly 11 miles north of Watford. Nearby, we also look at land around St Albans (5 miles), Luton (5 miles) and Hemel Hempstead (6 miles).

Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, which makes land with genuine development prospects scarce and keenly contested.

TownHarpenden
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtAL5
OS grid squareTL11
Nearest towns we coverSt Albans (5 mi), Luton (5 mi), Hemel Hempstead (6 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 11 miles north
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOn completion, after permission is granted
Planning costsOurs
Land surveyor with a GNSS survey pole in a grass field next to a hedgerow

Is a subject-to-planning sale right for your land?

  • Small sites with a clear planning case
  • Land where a previous permission has lapsed
  • Owners willing to wait for a higher price
  • Land with a registered title

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.

How the money works

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.

Deposit

A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.

Land near Harpenden that a subject-to-planning sale suits

Development land in Harpenden

Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.

Green belt and grey belt land in Harpenden

Suits brownfield green belt sites where a scheme can be tested quickly.

Land for affordable homes in Harpenden

The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.

Infill plots and gap sites in Harpenden

The usual route for unconsented gap sites.

What happens next

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. 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 want to know what 'acceptable' permission means

The contract defines it, such as a minimum number of homes. Your solicitor should check it carefully.

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 plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

Your questions answered

Who pays for the planning application?

We do, along with the surveys and consultants needed to support it.

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.

How do I get an offer for land in Harpenden?

Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.

Also near Harpenden

More land we buy in Harpenden

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