Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Dorking
If you own sites with lapsed or refused planning in or around Dorking, we would like to hear about it. We buy directly and give a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land with a lapsed consent or a refusal is not a dead end. We read the decision, the officer's report and any appeal history to judge whether a fresh approach could work.

- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional or outright
The sites with lapsed or refused planning that interests us around Dorking
We read the planning history of sites across Dorking closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. In Surrey, Dorking sits about 10 miles east of Guildford; Leatherhead and Reigate are its nearest neighbours on our list.
- Land refused for design, access or technical reasons
- Sites where an appeal was dismissed on specific points
- Land with an old permission that was never started
- Plots where policy has changed since the last decision
Surrey is a county of commuter towns, including Woking, Guildford, Epsom, Reigate, Redhill, Camberley, Staines-upon-Thames and Farnham, and many villages. Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Surrey Hills and High Weald National Landscapes cover much of the south. Previously developed land, infill plots, garden and backland sites and grey belt are therefore central to housing supply, with larger sites usually allocated through local plans.
What usually makes or breaks it
Reasons for refusal
The wording of each reason tells us what would need to change.
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.
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 113 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we make the revised application and complete on success.
Subject-to-planning contractFrom first call to completion
Get in touch
Tell us where the land is and what you know about it.
Site review
We look at the land, its planning position and anything that could affect it.
Proposal
We put our proposal in writing, with no obligation to accept.
Exchange and completion
If you go ahead, contracts are exchanged and the sale completes on the agreed terms.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorking: common questions
My permission lapsed years ago. Is it still relevant?
Yes. An old permission shows the principle was once accepted, though current policy now applies.
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.
Do you buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorking?
Yes. We buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Dorking and throughout Surrey, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Can an agent introduce land in Dorking 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.
