Small sites wanted in Barnet
Development Land Wanted buys small sites in Barnet and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
Small sites are plots for roughly one to nine homes. They are quicker to plan and build than large schemes and national policy encourages councils to bring more of them forward. We buy small sites with or without planning.
- Size
- About 1 to 9 homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
Is your land in Barnet the kind we want?
In Barnet, small sites are often the leftover pieces: a side garden, an old garage block or a gap where a building once stood. Barnet lies about 10 miles north of central London in Greater London. We also cover Potters Bar, Borehamwood, Edgware and the villages between them.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Small fields or paddocks next to villages
- Garage blocks and small yards
- Land within or touching a settlement boundary
London planning is shaped by both the London Plan and borough plans, with higher densities expected near stations and town centres. Small sites, including garden land, yards and redundant commercial premises close to Underground, Overground, Elizabeth line or national rail stations, are the most common route to new homes in the outer areas.
What usually makes or breaks it
Access
Even small sites need a safe access and parking.
Affordable housing thresholds
In England affordable housing is usually only sought on schemes of ten or more homes; in Wales many councils seek contributions from smaller sites, sometimes a single home.
BNG (England)
From 6 August 2026 non-major sites of 0.2 ha or less are generally exempt from mandatory BNG unless priority habitat is affected.
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.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 95 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
Popular for small plots: you only sell once permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureHow a sale to us works
Send the basics
A postcode or plan and a few lines about the land are enough to start.
We do the homework
We check planning history, policy, flood maps and access at no cost to you.
We explain the options
You get a written proposal covering price, structure and timing.
Agree and proceed
Once you are happy, solicitors are instructed and the deal moves forward.
Questions owners in Barnet ask
Why do larger developers ignore small sites?
Large builders tend to focus on bigger schemes that suit their overheads. Small sites need a different approach, which is why we actively look for them.
How quickly can you give a view?
For a small site with a clear plan and photos, we can usually say quickly whether it is worth pursuing and how.
Which planning rules apply to land in Barnet?
As Barnet 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 Barnet assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.