Land without planning permission wanted in Saffron Walden
We want to hear from owners of land without planning permission in Saffron Walden. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
Having no planning permission does not rule land out. Many good development sites start as fields or yards with no consent. We look at local policy, access and constraints, then explain the options, including deals where we take on the planning work.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- None yet
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional, option or JV
Land without planning permission we are looking for in Saffron Walden
Plenty of land around Saffron Walden has never had permission. What we look for first is whether new homes would fit with the existing pattern of the place. Saffron Walden lies about 22 miles north-west of Chelmsford in Essex. We also cover Haverhill, Bishop's Stortford, Royston and the villages between them.
- Fields and paddocks next to existing settlements
- Land where a previous application was refused for reasons that could be overcome
- Sites with a road frontage or a realistic access
- Land of any size, including single plots
Essex is one of the most varied counties for land, from Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow to the Tendring coast and many rural villages. Much of the south and west is Metropolitan Green Belt, where grey belt and previously developed land are key, while north-east Essex, including Colchester and the Tendring coast, has none. Typical sites include edge-of-village fields, farmyards, former employment land and coastal-town brownfield sites.
What usually makes or breaks it
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.
Access and highways
Without a safe access, even well-located land is unlikely to get consent.
Your involvement
You can sell now, sell subject to planning, or grant an option; each asks a different amount of you.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
Some land in Essex 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.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 98 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Ways to sell land without planning permission in Saffron Walden
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
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 ventureThe next steps
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.
Your questions answered
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 Saffron Walden 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.
How quickly can you look at a site in Saffron Walden?
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.