Subject-to-planning contract for land in Herefordshire
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
A subject-to-planning (conditional) contract is a sale agreed now that only completes once planning permission is granted on terms both sides have defined. We normally pay for the application, and if permission is not obtained the contract can end and the landowner keeps the land.
Subject-to-planning contract for land in Herefordshire
Subject-to-planning contract is one of four ways we buy land in Herefordshire. Herefordshire is a rural county with the city of Hereford, the market towns of Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury, and many small villages and hamlets. There is no Green Belt, but the Wye Valley and Malvern Hills National Landscapes cover parts of the county. Phosphate pollution in the River Wye and its tributary the Lugg has been a major barrier to new housing, so drainage and nutrient mitigation are often central to whether a site can proceed.
Most new homes are planned around Hereford and the market towns, with smaller numbers in villages through neighbourhood plans. Typical opportunities include edge-of-village paddocks, redundant farm buildings, infill plots and former commercial land, with flood risk along the Wye and Lugg valleys a frequent consideration.
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.
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.
Herefordshire has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Hereford are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Parts of Herefordshire fall within Wye Valley National Landscape and Malvern Hills 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 now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted. It usually suits land without planning that has a realistic route; infill, garden and small sites; owners who want a value linked to planning without funding it. See how a subject-to-planning contract works for the full process, pros and cons.
Land in Herefordshire that often suits a subject-to-planning contract
WantedBrownfield land
Brownfield land in Hereford tends to be well located for homes; the questions are usually about contamination, demolition and neighbours. Useful where the change from commercial to residential still needs consent.
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WantedInfill plots
We look for infill plots across Hereford and the surrounding villages, particularly where there is room for parking off the road. Common for infill: we apply, and you sell once permission is granted.
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WantedGarden and backland plots
Around Hereford, garden land is most promising where a lane already runs behind the houses or two or three neighbours can sell together. The usual route: we apply and you only sell if permission is granted.
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WantedFarmland and paddocks
We are looking for farmland near Hereford with a realistic access, ideally land the owner has already put forward to the local plan. Works well for smaller paddocks and edge-of-village fields.
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WantedStrategic land
Larger landholdings on the approaches to Hereford are where strategic land usually comes from, particularly near transport links. Possible for the first phase of a larger holding.
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WantedSmall sites
Small sites in and around Hereford are central to what we look for, from corner plots to the odd field on the edge of a nearby village. Popular for small plots: you only sell once permission is granted.
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WantedCommercial and industrial sites
In Hereford, industrial land that has drifted out of use can often be reimagined as homes, subject to the council's view on employment land. Used where a change of use still needs consent.
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WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
If a scheme near Hereford was refused or ran out of time, the officer's report usually shows what a better application would need. The usual route: we make the revised application and complete on success.
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Subject-to-planning contract: questions
What counts as a satisfactory permission?
The contract defines it: usually the number and type of homes, acceptable conditions and planning obligations, and the end of the judicial review period.
What happens if planning is refused?
The contract normally lets us appeal, re-apply or withdraw within set timescales. If it ends, you keep your land.
Can I keep using the land meanwhile?
Yes, usually, until completion.
Do you use subject-to-planning contracts for land in Herefordshire?
Yes. We use subject-to-planning contracts across Herefordshire and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.