Farmland and paddocks wanted in Hertford
Development Land Wanted buys farmland and paddocks in Hertford and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
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
The farmland and paddocks that interests us around Hertford
Around Hertford, paddocks and fields beside existing homes can have real potential, even where they have been grazed or farmed for generations. As the county town of Hertfordshire, Hertford anchors the area we cover here, along with Ware, Hoddesdon and Welwyn Garden City.
- Fields and paddocks adjoining a town, village or suburb
- Land with road frontage or a farm track to a road
- Land put forward to a local plan or call for sites
- Farmland where the owner wants to keep farming meanwhile
Hertfordshire is a county of medium-sized towns, including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Hitchin, with many villages between them. Most of the county lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Chilterns National Landscape covers the west, so grey belt, previously developed land and infill sites are especially important. Larger growth is usually planned as urban extensions and new communities through local plans.
What usually makes or breaks it
Relationship to the settlement
Land that reads as an extension of a place is usually more promising than isolated fields.
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.
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.
Parts of Hertfordshire are Green Belt, though not every town has any nearby. We check early whether a site is inside it and, if so, whether a grey belt or previously developed land case could apply.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 93 miles from Hertford, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-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 agreementWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Frequently asked in Hertfordshire
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 quickly can you look at a site in Hertford?
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 Hertford?
As Hertford 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.