Land without planning permission wanted in Eastbourne
Development Land Wanted buys land without planning permission in Eastbourne and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
If your land has never had planning permission, it can still be development land. We check whether housing is credible under current policy and, where it is, propose a deal that shares out the planning risk fairly.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- None yet
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional, option or JV
The land without planning permission that interests us around Eastbourne
Plenty of land around Eastbourne has never had permission. What we look for first is whether new homes would fit with the existing pattern of the place. In East Sussex, Eastbourne sits about 14 miles south-east of Lewes; Hailsham and Seaford are its nearest neighbours on our list.
- Land the owner has put forward to a local plan or call for sites
- Plots within towns and villages that have never been built on
- Land where a previous application was refused for reasons that could be overcome
- Sites with a road frontage or a realistic access
Brighton and Hove has very limited land between the Downs and the sea, so redevelopment of commercial buildings, garages and yards is common there. Inland, the A22 and A26 towns and High Weald villages see smaller schemes, where ancient woodland and the historic field pattern are frequent considerations.
Before we make an offer in Eastbourne
Policy direction
National and local policy decides how a fresh application would be judged, so we read both before advising.
Who pays for planning
Applications, surveys and reports cost money; on conditional and option deals we normally pay for them up front, and any costs deducted from the price are agreed and capped.
Timescale
Getting permission can take months or years; we are honest about that from the start.
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.
East Sussex has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Eastbourne are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 155 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Ways to sell land without planning permission in Eastbourne
Outright purchase
Possible where we are comfortable taking the planning risk ourselves.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
The most common route: we fund the application and complete once permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
Suits bigger sites or longer timescales; you are paid a premium and keep the land meanwhile.
Option agreementJoint venture
For owners who want a bigger share of the upside in return for more risk.
Joint ventureWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Land without planning permission in Eastbourne: common questions
Who pays for the planning application?
On a subject-to-planning contract or an option agreement, we normally pay for the application and the reports that go with it. Under an option, agreed costs may later be deducted from the price; any deduction is capped and set out in the heads of terms.
Can I keep using the land while planning is sought?
Usually, yes. Farming, grazing or other current uses can generally continue until completion, subject to what we agree.
Can an agent introduce land in Eastbourne 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.
Which planning rules apply to land in Eastbourne?
As Eastbourne 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.