Land without planning permission wanted in Oxfordshire
We want to hear from owners of land without planning permission in Oxfordshire. 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
The land without planning permission that interests us around Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire combines the city of Oxford with towns such as Banbury, Bicester, Witney, Abingdon, Didcot, Carterton and Kidlington and many villages. Green Belt surrounds Oxford, and the Cotswolds, Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes cover much of the countryside. Typical sites include edge-of-town extensions, previously developed land, farm buildings and infill plots, with grey belt now relevant on parts of the Oxford fringe.
- Fields and paddocks next to existing settlements
- 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
East West Rail and the science and technology economy around Oxford, Harwell and Culham drive demand for new homes. Flood risk from the Thames and Cherwell affects Oxford and nearby villages, while Bicester and Didcot have expanded substantially through planned growth.
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.
Timescale
Getting permission can take months or years; we are honest about that from the start.
Your involvement
You can sell now, sell subject to planning, or grant an option; each asks a different amount of you.
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.
Since 6 August 2026, non-major development on sites of 0.2 hectares or less in England has generally been exempt from mandatory biodiversity net gain, unless priority habitat is affected. That makes many small sites simpler to bring forward.
Some land in Oxfordshire 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.
Parts of Oxfordshire fall within Cotswolds National Landscape, Chilterns National Landscape and North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
Four ways to sell to us
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
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
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
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 Oxfordshire
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.
Do you buy land with no planning outright?
Sometimes. If we are confident about the planning route we can buy outright, which gives you certainty sooner but reflects the risk we take on.
Can an agent introduce land in Oxfordshire 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 Oxfordshire?
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.