Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Christchurch
Development Land Wanted buys sites with lapsed or refused planning in Christchurch and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
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- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn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
Sites with lapsed or refused planning we are looking for in Christchurch
Sites around Christchurch with an old refusal can be worth a second look, especially where local or national policy has since changed. Sitting about 29 miles east of Dorchester, Christchurch is within Dorset, with Bournemouth and New Milton close by.
- Sites where planning permission has expired
- Land refused for design, access or technical reasons
- Land with an old permission that was never started
- Plots where policy has changed since the last decision
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.
What usually makes or breaks it
Reasons for refusal
The wording of each reason tells us what would need to change.
Policy changes
National and local policy may have moved since the last decision, for better or worse.
Appeal history
An inspector's decision carries weight in future applications.
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.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 125 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning 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
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
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.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning in Christchurch: 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.
How do you decide if a site is worth another attempt?
We look at the reasons for refusal, any appeal, current policy and the technical evidence, then give a straight view.
Is Christchurch too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 125 miles from Christchurch, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Christchurch assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.