Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Brighton
Development Land Wanted buys sites with lapsed or refused planning in Brighton and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
If your permission expired or an application was refused, the land may still be developable. A refusal often comes down to design, access or a specific technical issue that can be addressed in a new application.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional or outright
Is your land in Brighton the kind we want?
We read the planning history of sites across Brighton closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. Brighton is in East Sussex, about 7 miles south-west of Lewes. Nearby places include Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Peacehaven.
- 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
Brighton and Hove has very limited land between the Downs and the sea, so redevelopment of commercial buildings, garages and yards is common there. Inland, the A22 and A26 towns and High Weald villages see smaller schemes, where ancient woodland and the historic field pattern are frequent considerations.
Before we make an offer in Brighton
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.
Technical work
Some refusals turn on drainage, highways or ecology evidence that can be improved.
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
East Sussex has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Brighton are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 141 miles from Brighton, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Brighton
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 contractFrom first call to completion
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 Brighton: common questions
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.
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.
Can an agent introduce land in Brighton 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 Brighton?
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.