Outright purchase for land in Devon
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 Devon
Outright purchase is one of four ways we buy land in Devon. Devon has no Green Belt, but Dartmoor and part of Exmoor National Parks and the East Devon, North Devon, South Devon, Blackdown Hills and Tamar Valley National Landscapes cover a large share of the county. Growth focuses on Exeter, Plymouth, Torbay and the market towns, with many villages beyond. Edge-of-town greenfield land, farm buildings and smaller infill plots are the usual sources of new housing sites.
The A30, A38 and M5 corridors and the main line from Exeter to Plymouth carry most of Devon's planned growth, including new communities east of Exeter. In coastal towns, flood risk and coastal change can affect sites, while nutrient neutrality advice has applied in the River Axe catchment on the Dorset border.
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 introduced Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy in England, which over time may offer an alternative to site-by-site mitigation for some environmental issues.
Devon has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Exeter are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Parts of Devon fall within Dartmoor National Park, Exmoor National Park, East Devon National Landscape, North Devon National Landscape, South Devon National Landscape, Blackdown Hills National Landscape and Tamar Valley 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 Devon that often suits an outright purchase
WantedResidential development land
Around Exeter, 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.
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WantedLand with planning permission
If you hold a consent in or near Exeter, send us the decision notice and the approved drawings; that is usually enough for a first view. The usual route for consented land: an agreed price and a straightforward sale.
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WantedLand without planning permission
For land on the edges of Exeter with no consent yet, the first questions are access, flood risk and how the council's current plan treats the area. Possible where we are comfortable taking the planning risk ourselves.
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WantedFarmland and paddocks
Fields that wrap around the edges of Exeter and its neighbouring villages are the farmland we most want to talk about. Possible for land with a clear planning route.
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WantedSmall sites
Small sites in and around Exeter are central to what we look for, from corner plots to the odd field on the edge of a nearby village. Common where consent exists or the case is strong.
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WantedGarage courts and yards
Garage courts tucked behind homes in Exeter are often ideal for a small number of new houses or bungalows. Common where the planning case is clear.
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WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
We read the planning history of sites across Exeter closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. Possible where the fix is clear and low risk.
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WantedAllocated and promoted land
Around Exeter, allocated sites and land put forward to the council are usually the furthest along, so they can often move faster than land at an earlier stage. Common for allocated land with a clear path to an application.
Learn moreTowns we cover in Devon
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 Devon?
Yes. We use outright purchases across Devon and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.