Land without planning permission wanted in York
We want to hear from owners of land without planning permission in York. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
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
Is your land in York the kind we want?
Near York, land without planning is worth discussing where it adjoins existing homes or has been put forward to the council's plan. York is in North Yorkshire, about 30 miles south-east of Northallerton. Nearby places include Selby, Kippax and Harrogate.
- Fields and paddocks next to existing settlements
- 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
- Sites with a road frontage or a realistic access
North Yorkshire, as used here, includes York, Harrogate, Scarborough, Selby, Northallerton and Ripon, plus Middlesbrough, Redcar and other Teesside towns. Green Belt surrounds York and reaches the Leeds fringe near Harrogate and Selby, while the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks and the Nidderdale and Howardian Hills National Landscapes cover large areas. Typical sites are edge-of-town fields, farm buildings, village infill and Teesside brownfield land.
Checks we make on land without planning permission in York
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.
Parts of North Yorkshire 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.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 103 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in York
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 ventureThe next steps
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.
Questions owners in York ask
What if planning is refused?
That depends on the deal. Under a conditional contract we can usually decide whether to appeal, re-apply or walk away; if we walk away you keep your land.
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.
Do you buy land without planning permission in York?
Yes. We buy land without planning permission in York and throughout North Yorkshire, 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 York 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.