Sell land subject to planning in Kent
For landowners in Kent, a subject-to-planning sale is one of four ways to sell to us. Here's how it works there.
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
Get an offer for land in Kent
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Subject-to-planning sale in Kent at a glance
Metropolitan Green Belt in the west, the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes, and growth around Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway towns.
| County | Kent |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 23 |
| Main town | Maidstone |
| Example postcode districts | BR8, CT1, CT5, CT6, CT9 |
| 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?
- Small sites with a clear planning case
- Land where a previous permission has lapsed
- Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
- Owners willing to wait for a higher price
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
This route suits most building plots, garden land and small sites, where the planning process can be measured in months rather than years.
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.
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.
Your use meanwhile
You normally keep using the land until completion.
Land a subject-to-planning sale works for in Kent
Barns and rural buildings in Kent
We complete once planning consent is secured.
Building plots in Kent
We buy once permission is granted for an agreed scheme.
Garden land and backland in Kent
The usual route for garden land: we complete when permission is granted.
Infill plots and gap sites in Kent
The usual route for unconsented gap sites.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Kent
We complete once housing is approved, with your business using the site meanwhile.
Inherited and probate land in Kent
Possible if beneficiaries are happy to wait for a higher price.
How a sale works
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.
Planning and legal points for land in Kent
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 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
- The address or postcode
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Photos of the land and its access
What people ask us about a subject-to-planning sale
Who pays for the planning application?
We do, along with the surveys and consultants needed to support it.
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.
Do you buy land in Kent?
Yes. We consider land across Kent, from Maidstone 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 Kent
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Kent
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.