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Sell land subject to planning in St Albans

Choosing how to sell matters as much as choosing who to sell to. For land near St Albans, a subject-to-planning sale trades certainty and timing in a particular way.

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.

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

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Where St Albans sits

The land we're most interested in near St Albans sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Harpenden (5 miles) and Hatfield (5 miles).

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

TownSt Albans
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtAL1
OS grid squareTL10
Nearest towns we coverHarpenden (5 mi), Hatfield (5 mi), Hemel Hempstead (5 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 7 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

Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Land where a previous permission has lapsed
  • Land with a registered title
  • 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.

How the money works

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.

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 St Albans that a subject-to-planning sale suits

Development land in St Albans

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

Green belt and grey belt land in St Albans

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

Barns and rural buildings in St Albans

We complete once planning consent is secured.

Small sites in St Albans

The most common route for small unconsented sites.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

What England's rules mean for your land

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 rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters

Questions from landowners near St Albans

Can I still use the land before completion?

Usually yes, until we need access for surveys or until completion.

Do I get a deposit?

A deposit is usually paid on exchange, with terms set out in the contract.

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.

How do I get an offer for land in St Albans?

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 St Albans

Other land in St Albans

Get a straight answer about your land

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248