Farmland and paddocks wanted
Fields and paddocks next to towns and villages, with or without tenants. England and Wales.
Farmland and paddocks can become development land when they sit beside a settlement that needs new homes. We look for fields on the edges of towns and villages across England and Wales and work with owners on options, conditional contracts and joint ventures.
- Size
- Paddocks to whole farms
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Option, conditional or JV
What farmland and paddocks do we want?
A paddock or field next to a village or town may have development potential, even if it has always been farmed. We assess how the land relates to the settlement, its access and the local plan, then explain which deal would suit.
- Fields and paddocks adjoining a town, village or suburb
- Land with road frontage or a farm track to a road
- Parcels from a few acres to whole holdings
- Land put forward to a local plan or call for sites
- Land let on a farm business tenancy or grazing licence
- Farmland where the owner wants to keep farming meanwhile
What decides whether a site works?
Agricultural land on the edge of a settlement is one of the main sources of new housing land. We buy and take options on farmland and paddocks, and we work around tenancies, grazing licences and farm schemes.
Relationship to the settlement
Land that reads as an extension of a place is usually more promising than isolated fields.
Tenancies
Agricultural tenancies affect when vacant possession can be given; we check the type and terms.
Farm schemes
Environmental and payment schemes may have obligations to unwind or agree.
Landscape
Protected landscapes and sensitive views limit what may be acceptable.
Best and most versatile land
High-grade agricultural land can be a factor in planning decisions.
Is it different in England and Wales?
England. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 introduced Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy in England, which over time may offer an alternative to site-by-site mitigation for some environmental issues.
Wales. In Wales, planning decisions are guided by Planning Policy Wales and Future Wales: the National Plan 2040, with land for housing identified through each council's Local Development Plan, including candidate site stages when plans are reviewed.
What should I have ready?
None of this is essential to get started, but it helps us give a firmer view sooner:
- A plan of the land, with field numbers if you have them
- Tenancy or grazing agreements
- Any farm scheme agreements
- Whether the land has been put forward to the council
How we buy
Ways to sell farmland and paddocks to us
Subject-to-planning contract
Works well for smaller paddocks and edge-of-village fields.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
The usual route for larger farmland: you keep farming and we promote the land.
Option agreementWhere
Farmland and paddocks wanted by area
Choose your county to see what we look for locally and the towns we cover.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- The East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- The Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- The West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Wales
What happens next
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
Farmland and paddocks: common questions
Can I keep farming while you pursue planning?
Yes. Under an option or a conditional contract the land normally stays in your hands, and in use, until completion.
My land is let to a tenant. Can I still sell?
Usually, yes. The type of tenancy decides how and when possession can be obtained, so we look at the agreement early.
How much land do you need?
Anything from a single paddock to larger holdings. Smaller parcels next to villages can be very suitable.
Will I lose my farm payments?
Development land may need to leave a scheme at some point. Check your agreements and take advice; we plan timing around them where we can.