Barns and rural buildings wanted in Derby
We are actively looking for barns and rural buildings in Derby and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
A redundant barn, stable block or yard can have residential potential. Traditional buildings often suit conversion, while modern steel barns may qualify for permitted development in England. We assess the building, access and planning route before proposing a deal.

- Size
- Single barns to farmyards
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
The barns and rural buildings that interests us around Derby
In the countryside around Derby, redundant barns and yards can sometimes become homes, depending on the building and the route available. Derby is the county town of Derbyshire. Nearby places we also cover include Belper, Ilkeston and Heanor.
- Modern agricultural buildings that may suit Class Q (England)
- Farmyards with several buildings
- Buildings with an existing access to a road
- Buildings with or without an existing consent
Much of eastern Derbyshire lies on the former coalfield, where a coal mining risk assessment is often needed before building. The M1 corridor towns such as Chesterfield, Alfreton and Ilkeston, and the Swadlincote area near Burton upon Trent, see steady demand for small and medium housing sites.
Checks we make on barns and rural buildings in Derby
Structure
Conversion routes usually require the building to be capable of conversion without substantial rebuilding.
Protected landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes can restrict permitted development and design.
Access and services
Rural buildings often need new access, drainage and power.
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.
Some land in Derbyshire is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 32 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementFrom first call to completion
Get in touch
Tell us where the land is and what you know about it.
Site review
We look at the land, its planning position and anything that could affect it.
Proposal
We put our proposal in writing, with no obligation to accept.
Exchange and completion
If you go ahead, contracts are exchanged and the sale completes on the agreed terms.
Questions owners in Derby ask
Does Class Q apply in Wales?
No. Class Q is part of the permitted development rules for England. In Wales, barn conversions generally need a full planning application.
Do bats stop a barn conversion?
Not usually, but surveys and mitigation are needed, and survey seasons can affect timing.
Do you buy barns and rural buildings in Derby?
Yes. We buy barns and rural buildings in Derby and throughout Derbyshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Is Derby too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 32 miles from Derby, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
