Subject-to-planning contract for land in Wiltshire
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 Wiltshire
We use subject-to-planning contracts for suitable land across Wiltshire. Wiltshire includes Swindon, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Melksham, Devizes, Calne, Warminster and Westbury, with many villages and much open downland. Green Belt from the Bristol and Bath area reaches the west of the county, and the North Wessex Downs, Cranborne Chase and Cotswolds National Landscapes and part of the New Forest National Park cover large areas. Typical sites include edge-of-town fields, farm buildings, village infill and former military or industrial land.
Salisbury Plain and Stonehenge bring military and World Heritage considerations, and nutrient neutrality advice has affected the River Avon catchment around Salisbury. The M4 corridor around Swindon and Chippenham and the rail lines through Westbury and Trowbridge focus much of the area's growth.
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.
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 Wiltshire 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 Wiltshire fall within North Wessex Downs National Landscape, Cranborne Chase National Landscape, Cotswolds National Landscape and New Forest National Park. 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 Wiltshire that often suits a subject-to-planning contract
WantedResidential development land
In and around Trowbridge we are interested in land that sits naturally alongside existing streets, where new homes would read as part of the place. Common for land without planning: we agree a price now and complete once a suitable permission is granted.
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WantedLand with planning permission
If you hold a consent in or near Trowbridge, send us the decision notice and the approved drawings; that is usually enough for a first view. Used where a fresh or amended application would improve the scheme.
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WantedLand without planning permission
Near Trowbridge, land without planning is worth discussing where it adjoins existing homes or has been put forward to the council's plan. The most common route: we fund the application and complete once permission is granted.
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WantedGarden and backland plots
In parts of Trowbridge with long gardens or rear lanes, backland plots can work well if the access is wide enough and neighbours are treated fairly. The usual route: we apply and you only sell if permission is granted.
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WantedGreen Belt and grey belt land
Green Belt edges in Wiltshire vary a great deal, so we assess each parcel against the national tests before suggesting a deal. Works for smaller previously developed Green Belt sites.
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WantedSmall sites
We want to hear about plots for a few homes anywhere around Trowbridge, including ones a larger builder has already turned down. Popular for small plots: you only sell once permission is granted.
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WantedGarage courts and yards
Across Trowbridge, lock-up blocks that are half empty can be a better use of land as homes, with parking handled sensibly. The usual route for garage courts.
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WantedAllocated and promoted land
Around Trowbridge, 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. Used where an application is the next step.
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Subject-to-planning contract: questions
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.
Is there a deposit?
Sometimes a modest deposit is paid on exchange; terms vary by site and are set out in the heads of terms.
Can I keep using the land meanwhile?
Yes, usually, until completion.
Do you use subject-to-planning contracts for land in Wiltshire?
Yes. We use subject-to-planning contracts across Wiltshire and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.