Small sites wanted in Croydon
Development Land Wanted buys small sites in Croydon and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
If your land could take a few homes rather than a few hundred, it is a small site. These plots are central to what we buy, and we can usually give a quick view on whether one is worth pursuing.
- Size
- About 1 to 9 homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
What small sites we want near Croydon
Small sites in and around Croydon are central to what we look for, from corner plots to the odd field on the edge of a nearby village. Croydon lies about 9 miles south of central London in Greater London. We also cover Purley, Coulsdon, Sutton and the villages between them.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Garage blocks and small yards
- Sites where an earlier application can be improved
- Land within or touching a settlement boundary
Outer London, from Romford and Bexley to Uxbridge, Barnet, Croydon and Sutton, contains most of the capital's remaining land opportunities. Around the edge, the Metropolitan Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land protect open space, and a small part of the Kent Downs National Landscape lies in the south-east. Sites usually come forward as small infill plots, garage courts, backland, former commercial buildings and occasional grey belt land on the urban fringe.
What usually makes or breaks it
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.
Drainage
Sustainable drainage and sewer connections can still be significant on small sites.
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.
Some land in Greater London 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.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 111 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Croydon
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 ventureThe next steps
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.
Small sites in Croydon: common questions
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.
Can you buy a single building plot?
Yes. Single plots, with or without consent, are part of what we buy.
Which planning rules apply to land in Croydon?
As Croydon 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 Croydon assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.