Land without planning permission wanted in Cardiff
We are actively looking for land without planning permission in Cardiff and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
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 Cardiff
Plenty of land around Cardiff has never had permission. What we look for first is whether new homes would fit with the existing pattern of the place. As the county town of South Glamorgan, Cardiff anchors the area we cover here, along with Penarth, Caerphilly and Barry.
- 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
- Land of any size, including single plots
South Glamorgan covers Cardiff and the rural Vale to the west, including Barry, Penarth, Llantwit Major and Rhoose. Green wedges protect open land around Cardiff, and Future Wales anticipates a green belt for the wider region once a regional plan sets its boundary. Typical sites include brownfield and former industrial land in Cardiff, edge-of-town fields around Barry and the Vale villages, and infill plots, with coastal and river flood risk assessed under TAN 15.
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.
Timescale
Getting permission can take months or years; we are honest about that from the start.
Parts of Wales lie in river catchments where phosphate levels in protected rivers affect new housing, so drainage and nutrient solutions can be an early question.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 92 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Ways to sell land without planning permission in Cardiff
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
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
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.
Land without planning permission in Cardiff: 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.
Do you buy land without planning permission in Cardiff?
Yes. We buy land without planning permission in Cardiff and throughout South Glamorgan, 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 Cardiff assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.
