Outright purchase for land in Surrey
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 Surrey
Outright purchase is one of four ways we buy land in Surrey. Surrey is a county of commuter towns, including Woking, Guildford, Epsom, Reigate, Redhill, Camberley, Staines-upon-Thames and Farnham, and many villages. Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Surrey Hills and High Weald National Landscapes cover much of the south. Previously developed land, infill plots, garden and backland sites and grey belt are therefore central to housing supply, with larger sites usually allocated through local plans.
Heathland protection in the west of the county means many schemes contribute to mitigation for the Thames Basin Heaths, and flood risk from the Thames and Mole affects riverside towns. Stations on the lines into Waterloo and Victoria matter, as English planning policy now gives weight to locations near well-connected stations.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
English councils keep brownfield land registers, and some previously developed sites can be granted permission in principle, a quicker way of establishing whether housing is acceptable before technical details are settled.
Parts of Surrey 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 Surrey fall within Surrey Hills National Landscape and High Weald 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 Surrey that often suits an outright purchase
WantedResidential development land
In and around Guildford we are interested in land that sits naturally alongside existing streets, where new homes would read as part of the place. Best where planning is already granted or the route to it is clear.
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WantedLand with planning permission
We are interested in sites with planning across the Guildford area, including smaller consents that larger housebuilders may pass over. The usual route for consented land: an agreed price and a straightforward sale.
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WantedLand without planning permission
Near Guildford, land without planning is worth discussing where it adjoins existing homes or has been put forward to the council's plan. Possible where we are comfortable taking the planning risk ourselves.
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WantedInfill plots
We look for infill plots across Guildford and the surrounding villages, particularly where there is room for parking off the road. Straightforward where consent exists or the case is strong.
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WantedCommercial and industrial sites
Older business land around Guildford, especially units now surrounded by housing, is the kind of commercial site we would like to discuss. Common, with leases and remediation reflected in timing and price.
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WantedRedundant buildings
We are interested in buildings around Guildford that have outlived their original use, whether they would be converted or replaced. Common for empty buildings, with conversion costs reflected in the price.
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WantedGarage courts and yards
Across Guildford, 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.
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WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
We read the planning history of sites across Guildford closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. Possible where the fix is clear and low risk.
Learn moreTowns we cover in Surrey
Outright purchase: questions
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.
Is an outright purchase always quicker?
Usually, but timing still depends on title, searches and both sides' solicitors.
Do you use outright purchases for land in Surrey?
Yes. We use outright purchases across Surrey and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.