Land without planning permission wanted in Royston
If you own land without planning permission in or around Royston, we would like to hear about it. We buy directly and give a free, no-obligation appraisal.
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
The land without planning permission that interests us around Royston
For land on the edges of Royston with no consent yet, the first questions are access, flood risk and how the council's current plan treats the area. Royston lies about 18 miles north of Hertford in Hertfordshire. We also cover Letchworth Garden City, Biggleswade, Saffron Walden and the villages between them.
- 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
- Land of any size, including single plots
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.
What usually makes or breaks it
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.
Access and highways
Without a safe access, even well-located land is unlikely to get consent.
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.
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.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 87 miles from Royston, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
Choosing how to sell
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 ventureHow a sale to us works
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 Royston: 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.
Is Royston too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 87 miles from Royston, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Royston assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.
