Sell land subject to planning in Welwyn Garden City
We offer a subject-to-planning sale on land across Hertfordshire, including sites around Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Hertford.
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
- We fund the planning work
Selling land near Welwyn Garden City?
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land around Welwyn Garden City
Our appraisals for Welwyn Garden City start with the AL8 postcode district and the OS grid square TL21, then widen out to Hatfield, Hertford and St Albans, all within about 6 miles.
| Town | Welwyn Garden City |
|---|---|
| County | Hertfordshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | AL8 |
| OS grid square | TL21 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Hatfield (3 mi), Hertford (6 mi), St Albans (6 mi) |
| Distance from Watford | About 13 miles north-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Planning costs | Ours |

Is a subject-to-planning sale right for your land?
- Small sites with a clear planning case
- Land where a previous permission has lapsed
- Land with a registered title
- 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.
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.
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 Welwyn Garden City that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Development land in Welwyn Garden City
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Green belt and grey belt land in Welwyn Garden City
Suits brownfield green belt sites where a scheme can be tested quickly.
Barns and rural buildings in Welwyn Garden City
We complete once planning consent is secured.
Building plots in Welwyn Garden City
We buy once permission is granted for an agreed scheme.
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.
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.
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'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
- Your title number, if you know it
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Your questions answered
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.
Can you visit land near Welwyn Garden City?
Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.
More land we buy in Welwyn Garden City
- 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 Welwyn Garden City
- Subject-to-planning sale in Hertfordshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Welwyn Garden City
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.