Farmland and paddocks wanted in St Albans
We are actively looking for farmland and paddocks in St Albans and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
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 St Albans
Fields that wrap around the edges of St Albans and its neighbouring villages are the farmland we most want to talk about. In Hertfordshire, St Albans sits about 11 miles west of Hertford; Harpenden and Hatfield are its nearest neighbours on our list.
- 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
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.
Checks we make on farmland and paddocks in St Albans
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.
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.
Some land in Hertfordshire is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 87 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
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 agreementHow 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.
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.
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.
How quickly can you look at a site in St Albans?
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 St Albans assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.