Commercial and industrial sites wanted in Devon
Looking to sell commercial and industrial sites near Devon? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
Commercial and industrial sites can sometimes be redeveloped for housing, particularly when they sit among homes or are no longer needed for business. We assess whether a change to residential is realistic and buy suitable sites across England and Wales.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
Commercial and industrial sites we are looking for in 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.
- Commercial land that is vacant or underused
- Sites with tenants on short leases or approaching breaks
- Garage, workshop and showroom sites
- Land where employment use has been marketed without success
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 usually makes or breaks it
Leases
Tenancies and their protection affect when the site can be redeveloped.
Contamination
Past industrial uses usually need investigation.
Neighbouring businesses
Homes next to noisy uses may need mitigation or may not be acceptable.
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.
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.
Devon has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Devon are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Commercial and industrial sites wanted in towns across Devon
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
Common, with leases and remediation reflected in timing and price.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureHow a sale to us works
Tell us about the land
Use the form or call us with the location and a rough outline of the site.
Free appraisal
We review title, planning and constraints and tell you honestly what we think.
Written offer
If the site suits us, we set out an offer and the way we propose to buy.
Solicitors take over
Your solicitor and ours agree the contract; we keep you informed throughout.
Commercial and industrial sites in Devon: common questions
Do I need to market the site first?
Not to sell to us. Marketing evidence can, however, support a planning case for change of use.
Is permitted development an option?
In England, some commercial-to-residential changes can use prior approval. Whether it applies depends on the use, the building and local restrictions.
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.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Devon assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.