Green Belt and grey belt land wanted in Wiltshire
Development Land Wanted buys Green Belt and grey belt land in Wiltshire and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
If your land is in the Green Belt, it may still be worth assessing. National policy in England allows grey belt and some previously developed Green Belt land to be considered for housing, with higher affordable housing expectations under the Golden Rules.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England only
- Ways we buy
- Option or conditional
The Green Belt and grey belt land that interests us around Wiltshire
Wiltshire includes Swindon, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Melksham, Devizes, Calne, Warminster and Westbury, with many villages and much open downland. Green Belt from the Bristol and Bath area reaches the west of the county, and the North Wessex Downs, Cranborne Chase and Cotswolds National Landscapes and part of the New Forest National Park cover large areas. Typical sites include edge-of-town fields, farm buildings, village infill and former military or industrial land.
- 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
- Land near railway stations with good services
- Land the council has identified in a Green Belt review
Salisbury Plain and Stonehenge bring military and World Heritage considerations, and nutrient neutrality advice has affected the River Avon catchment around Salisbury. The M4 corridor around Swindon and Chippenham and the rail lines through Westbury and Trowbridge focus much of the area's growth.
What decides whether a site in Wiltshire works
Golden Rules
Major housing on released or grey belt land must meet affordable housing and infrastructure requirements.
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.
In England, the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 17 August 2026 replaced the old "tilted balance" with new settlement policies: development within a settlement should normally be approved unless the harm substantially outweighs the benefits, while land outside a settlement can gain support in defined circumstances.
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 Wiltshire 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 contractOption agreement
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementThe next steps
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 Wiltshire
Is grey belt still part of national policy?
Yes. The revised NPPF published on 17 August 2026 retains grey belt, with a simplified definition and new guidance on Green Belt assessments in Annex E.
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.
Do you buy Green Belt and grey belt land in Wiltshire?
Yes. We buy Green Belt and grey belt land in Wiltshire and throughout Wiltshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
How quickly can you look at a site in Wiltshire?
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.