Brownfield land wanted in Devon
If you own brownfield land in or around Devon, we would like to hear about it. We buy directly and give a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Brownfield land is land that has been developed before, such as a former factory, depot, yard or cleared building plot. National policy in both England and Wales supports reusing it, and we buy brownfield sites of all sizes for new homes.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
What brownfield land we want near Devon
Devon has no Green Belt, but Dartmoor and part of Exmoor National Parks and the East Devon, North Devon, South Devon, Blackdown Hills and Tamar Valley National Landscapes cover a large share of the county. Growth focuses on Exeter, Plymouth, Torbay and the market towns, with many villages beyond. Edge-of-town greenfield land, farm buildings and smaller infill plots are the usual sources of new housing sites.
- Former industrial, commercial or depot sites
- Cleared sites and land with hardstanding
- Yards and builders' compounds within towns
- Sites on a brownfield land register (England) or similar
The A30, A38 and M5 corridors and the main line from Exeter to Plymouth carry most of Devon's planned growth, including new communities east of Exeter. In coastal towns, flood risk and coastal change can affect sites, while nutrient neutrality advice has applied in the River Axe catchment on the Dorset border.
What decides whether a site in Devon works
Contamination
Past uses can leave contamination; desk studies and site investigation show what remediation is needed.
Employment land policy
Some councils protect employment land; we check whether a change to housing would be resisted.
Existing floorspace
Vacant buildings can reduce affordable housing requirements in some cases (vacant building credit, England).
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
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.
Brownfield land wanted in towns across Devon
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Common for brownfield, with contamination and demolition allowed for in the price.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractFrom 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.
Questions owners in Devon ask
Will contamination stop a sale?
Not usually. It affects cost and the work needed, which we allow for. Any reports you already have help us give a firmer view sooner.
My site is still let to a tenant. Is that a problem?
It can be managed. Tell us about the lease terms and any break dates and we will factor them into the timing.
How quickly can you look at a site in Devon?
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.
Which planning rules apply to land in Devon?
As Devon is in England, national policy comes from the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026. Local policies in the council's development plan also apply.