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Sell land subject to planning in Melksham

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

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
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • We fund the planning work

Selling land near Melksham?

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

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

Where Melksham sits

The land we're most interested in near Melksham sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Neston (4 miles) and Trowbridge (5 miles).

Salisbury Plain, the Cotswolds, North Wessex Downs and Cranborne Chase, with growth around Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury.

TownMelksham
CountyWiltshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSN12
OS grid squareST96
Nearest towns we coverNeston (4 mi), Trowbridge (5 mi), Chippenham (6 mi)
Distance from SwindonAbout 20 miles south-west
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?

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Land where a previous permission has lapsed
  • Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
  • Land with a registered title

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.

How the money works

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.

Price adjustments

Some contracts adjust the price for the number of homes approved.

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. 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.

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 want to know what 'acceptable' permission means

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

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

What people ask us about a subject-to-planning sale

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.

Can you visit land near Melksham?

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.

Find out what we'd pay for your land near Melksham

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.