Outright purchase for land in Berkshire
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
An outright purchase is a straightforward sale: we agree a price, carry out due diligence, exchange contracts and complete, without waiting for planning permission. It gives a landowner certainty and speed, and suits land with planning permission or a clear planning route.
Outright purchase for land in Berkshire
Outright purchase is one of four ways we buy land in Berkshire. Berkshire is a string of large towns along the Thames Valley, including Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead and Wokingham, with Newbury and smaller villages to the west. The east of the county is heavily constrained by the Metropolitan Green Belt, while the west falls partly within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Sites that come forward are often brownfield and town-centre land, edge-of-settlement fields and possible grey belt on the Green Belt fringe.
The Elizabeth line, the Great Western Main Line and the M4 make many Berkshire settlements well connected, which matters under England's revised planning policy on locations near stations. Older office and commercial buildings in the larger towns, and paddocks and smallholdings on village edges, are common sources of smaller residential sites.
Since 6 August 2026, non-major development on sites of 0.2 hectares or less in England has generally been exempt from mandatory biodiversity net gain, unless priority habitat is affected. That makes many small sites simpler to bring forward.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
Parts of Berkshire are Green Belt, though not every town has any nearby. We check early whether a site is inside it and, if so, whether a grey belt or previously developed land case could apply.
Parts of Berkshire fall within North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
In short: we agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached. It usually suits land with outline or full planning permission; brownfield and redundant buildings with a clear route; owners who want certainty and a clean break. See how an outright purchase works for the full process, pros and cons.
Land in Berkshire that often suits an outright purchase
WantedResidential development land
Around Reading, the residential land that tends to work is close to existing homes, shops and transport rather than out on its own. Best where planning is already granted or the route to it is clear.
Learn more
WantedInfill plots
We look for infill plots across Reading and the surrounding villages, particularly where there is room for parking off the road. Straightforward where consent exists or the case is strong.
Learn more
WantedGarden and backland plots
Backland development in Reading turns on access and privacy; we look at both before suggesting whether an application is worth making. Possible where consent already exists.
Learn more
WantedSmall sites
In Reading, small sites are often the leftover pieces: a side garden, an old garage block or a gap where a building once stood. Common where consent exists or the case is strong.
Learn more
WantedCommercial and industrial sites
In Reading, industrial land that has drifted out of use can often be reimagined as homes, subject to the council's view on employment land. Common, with leases and remediation reflected in timing and price.
Learn more
WantedGarage courts and yards
Across Reading, lock-up blocks that are half empty can be a better use of land as homes, with parking handled sensibly. Common where the planning case is clear.
Learn more
WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
If a scheme near Reading was refused or ran out of time, the officer's report usually shows what a better application would need. Possible where the fix is clear and low risk.
Learn more
WantedAllocated and promoted land
We are interested in land around Reading at any plan stage, from a first submission to an adopted allocation. Common for allocated land with a clear path to an application.
Learn moreTowns we cover in Berkshire
Outright purchase: questions
Can I include overage in an outright sale?
Yes. If you want a share of any future uplift, for example if a larger scheme is later approved, an overage clause can be negotiated.
Do you need to survey the land first?
We usually carry out some checks before exchange, such as title review, searches and, where relevant, ground or ecology surveys.
Will you pay a deposit?
Deposits on exchange are common and are agreed as part of the heads of terms.
Do you use outright purchases for land in Berkshire?
Yes. We use outright purchases across Berkshire and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.