Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Dorset
We want to hear from owners of sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorset. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
A site with lapsed or refused planning has been through the system before without a build starting. That history is useful: it shows what the council liked and what it did not. We buy such sites and look at whether a revised scheme could succeed.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional or outright
What sites with lapsed or refused planning we want near Dorset
Dorset combines the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation with market towns such as Dorchester, Wimborne Minster and Ferndown and a large rural area. Green Belt surrounds the conurbation and extends inland, and the Dorset and Cranborne Chase National Landscapes cover much of the countryside. Typical sites include urban brownfield land, edge-of-town fields, farm buildings and infill plots in villages.
- Sites where planning permission has expired
- Sites where an appeal was dismissed on specific points
- Withdrawn applications
- Land with an old permission that was never started
Heathland protection around the conurbation means many schemes contribute to mitigation for protected heaths, and Poole Harbour has been subject to nutrient neutrality advice. Weymouth, the wider coast and the river valleys add flood and coastal-change checks, while the A31 and A35 corridors link the main towns.
Checks we make on sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorset
Policy changes
National and local policy may have moved since the last decision, for better or worse.
Technical work
Some refusals turn on drainage, highways or ecology evidence that can be improved.
Time since decision
The longer ago the decision, the more the context may have changed.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
English councils keep brownfield land registers, and some previously developed sites can be granted permission in principle, a quicker way of establishing whether housing is acceptable before technical details are settled.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in towns across Dorset
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we make the revised application and complete on success.
Subject-to-planning contractWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorset: common questions
My application was refused. Should I appeal or re-apply?
It depends on the reasons and time limits. Sometimes a revised application is better than an appeal. We look at the decision and say what we would do.
Does a refusal make the land worth less?
It can affect value, but often the reasons can be addressed. Policy may also have changed since the decision.
Which planning rules apply to land in Dorset?
As Dorset is in England, national policy comes from the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026. Local policies in the council's development plan also apply.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Dorset assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.