Barns and rural buildings wanted in Hampshire
Looking to sell barns and rural buildings near Hampshire? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
Barns and rural buildings can sometimes become homes through conversion or, in some cases, replacement. In England, Class Q permitted development allows certain agricultural buildings to change to residential use; in Wales the route is through a planning application. We buy suitable buildings in both nations.
- Size
- Single barns to farmyards
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
Barns and rural buildings we are looking for in Hampshire
Hampshire includes the cities of Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester, the north Hampshire towns of Basingstoke, Farnborough, Aldershot and Fleet, and a large rural area. The New Forest and South Downs National Parks, several National Landscapes and Green Belt on the Dorset border in the south-west all constrain land. Typical sites include edge-of-town fields, farm buildings, infill plots and urban brownfield land.
- Traditional brick or stone barns
- Modern agricultural buildings that may suit Class Q (England)
- Buildings with an existing access to a road
- Buildings with or without an existing consent
Nutrient neutrality advice has applied across much of south Hampshire because of the Solent's protected habitats, and coastal schemes contribute to recreation mitigation for overwintering birds. The M3 and M27 corridors carry most planned growth, with smaller sites in market towns such as Alton, Andover and Romsey.
What decides whether a site in Hampshire works
Structure
Conversion routes usually require the building to be capable of conversion without substantial rebuilding.
Protected species
Bats and barn owls are common in rural buildings and need surveys at the right time of year.
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.
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 Hampshire fall within New Forest National Park, South Downs National Park, North Wessex Downs National Landscape, Chichester Harbour National Landscape and Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
Barns and rural buildings wanted in towns across Hampshire
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-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
Send the basics
A postcode or plan and a few lines about the land are enough to start.
We do the homework
We check planning history, policy, flood maps and access at no cost to you.
We explain the options
You get a written proposal covering price, structure and timing.
Agree and proceed
Once you are happy, solicitors are instructed and the deal moves forward.
Your questions answered
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.
Can a steel-framed barn become a home?
In England it may, under Class Q, if it meets the conditions. Whether it is worth doing depends on the building, access and location.
Do you buy barns and rural buildings in Hampshire?
Yes. We buy barns and rural buildings in Hampshire and throughout Hampshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
How quickly can you look at a site in Hampshire?
For most sites we can give an initial view once we have the location and a plan. Detailed checks follow if the land looks suitable.