Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in East Grinstead
We want to hear from owners of sites with lapsed or refused planning in East Grinstead. 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- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn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
Is your land in East Grinstead the kind we want?
If a scheme near East Grinstead was refused or ran out of time, the officer's report usually shows what a better application would need. In West Sussex, East Grinstead sits about 39 miles north-east of Chichester; Horley and Crawley 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
Water neutrality advice that held up many schemes around Crawley, Horsham and Chichester was withdrawn from 1 November 2025, though water efficiency remains important. Chichester Harbour and the coastal plain bring flood risk and mitigation considerations, while the Brighton Main Line and A23 corridor focus growth around Crawley and Burgess Hill.
What decides whether a site in East Grinstead works
Reasons for refusal
The wording of each reason tells us what would need to change.
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.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
Some land in West Sussex is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 128 miles from East Grinstead, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in East Grinstead
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 contractOption agreement
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementFrom 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.
Questions owners in East Grinstead ask
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.
My permission lapsed years ago. Is it still relevant?
Yes. An old permission shows the principle was once accepted, though current policy now applies.
Can an agent introduce land in East Grinstead 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 East Grinstead?
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.
