Green Belt and grey belt land wanted in Hertfordshire
We want to hear from owners of Green Belt and grey belt land in Hertfordshire. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
Grey belt is land within England's Green Belt that does not strongly contribute to certain Green Belt purposes. The revised NPPF of August 2026 kept grey belt and the Golden Rules, so some Green Belt land, especially previously developed or poorly performing land, may now have a route to homes.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England only
- Ways we buy
- Option or conditional
Is your land in Hertfordshire the kind we want?
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.
- Previously developed land in the Green Belt, such as yards, nurseries or old buildings
- Green Belt land on the edge of towns that is already enclosed by development
- Sites with a defensible boundary such as a road or railway
- Land with or without earlier promotion
The M1, A1(M), M25 and several commuter rail lines into London make many Hertfordshire villages well connected to stations, which revised English planning policy treats as a factor in favour of development. Former employment sites, garages, yards and paddocks on town edges are common sources of smaller housing land.
What usually makes or breaks it
Green Belt purposes
Whether land strongly contributes to purposes (a), (b) or (d) decides if it can be grey belt.
Affordable housing
The requirement is typically higher than elsewhere, which affects land value.
Local plan reviews
Councils may release Green Belt through their plans; promotion can matter.
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.
In England, a planning permission normally has to be implemented within three years unless the council sets a different period, and councils aim to decide minor applications within eight weeks and major ones within thirteen.
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.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
Works for smaller previously developed Green Belt sites.
Subject-to-planning contractWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Your questions answered
Does grey belt apply in Wales?
No. Grey belt is an England-only policy. Welsh green belts and green wedges are handled through development plans and Planning Policy Wales.
Why is affordable housing higher on Green Belt land?
Under the Golden Rules, major housing on released Green Belt land typically has to provide more affordable homes than the local norm, up to a cap of 50%.
Do you buy Green Belt and grey belt land in Hertfordshire?
Yes. We buy Green Belt and grey belt land in Hertfordshire and throughout Hertfordshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Can an agent introduce land in Hertfordshire to you?
Yes. Estate agents, land agents and planning consultants can introduce sites with the owner's consent. Any fee is agreed in writing before details are shared, confirmed by the owner in writing and paid only on completion.