Land without planning permission wanted in Somerset
Development Land Wanted buys land without planning permission in Somerset 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
Land without planning permission we are looking for in Somerset
Somerset, as used here, includes Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon and Keynsham as well as Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater and Frome. Green Belt lies around Bath and Bristol in the north, and Exmoor National Park and the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills, Blackdown Hills, Cranborne Chase and Cotswolds National Landscapes cover much of the rest. The Somerset Levels and Moors are at high flood risk, so sites on higher ground are often favoured.
- 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
Nutrient neutrality advice linked to the Somerset Levels and Moors protected sites has affected housing across much of the county. The M5 corridor through Bridgwater and Taunton, and growth linked to Hinkley Point C, have increased demand for land near those towns.
Checks we make on land without planning permission in Somerset
Timescale
Getting permission can take months or years; we are honest about that from the start.
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.
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.
In England, a planning permission normally has to be implemented within three years unless the council sets a different period, and councils aim to decide minor applications within eight weeks and major ones within thirteen.
Some land in Somerset 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 Somerset fall within Exmoor National Park, Mendip Hills National Landscape, Quantock Hills National Landscape, Blackdown Hills National Landscape, Cranborne Chase National Landscape and Cotswolds National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
Land without planning permission wanted in towns across Somerset
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 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
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 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.
Do you buy land without planning permission in Somerset?
Yes. We buy land without planning permission in Somerset and throughout Somerset, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Somerset assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.