Strategic land wanted in Cornwall
Looking to sell strategic land near Cornwall? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
Strategic land is a larger site, usually for 50 or more homes, that is brought forward over several years through the local plan or a major application. We look at strategic land across England and Wales, usually under an option agreement or joint venture.
- Size
- 50+ homes
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Option or JV
What strategic land we want near Cornwall
Cornwall has no Green Belt, but landscape designation is extensive: the Cornwall National Landscape covers large stretches of coast and countryside, alongside the Tamar Valley and Isles of Scilly National Landscapes. Settlements are dispersed, from Truro, Camborne, Redruth and St Austell to many small coastal and inland villages. Sites coming forward are often edge-of-settlement fields, farm buildings, former mining and china clay land, and rural exception sites for local needs.
- Land for 50 or more homes next to a town or larger village
- Land near railway stations or good bus routes
- Land with more than one possible access point
- Sites already being considered by the council
Second-home and holiday-let pressure has led to principal residence policies in some Cornish neighbourhood plans, and nutrient neutrality advice has applied in the River Camel catchment. Former mining land around Camborne and Redruth needs mining risk checks, while the A30 corridor towns attract more mainstream housing growth.
What usually makes or breaks it
Land assembly
Larger schemes often need several owners to agree a fair way to share value.
Station proximity (England)
The August 2026 NPPF gives new support to suitable development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations.
Promotion costs
Technical studies and plan representations cost money; under an option we pay them up front, and any recovery from the price is capped in the heads of terms.
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.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
Cornwall has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Cornwall are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Parts of Cornwall fall within Cornwall National Landscape, Tamar Valley National Landscape and Isles of Scilly National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Rare before planning; more usual once an allocation or outline consent exists.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
Possible for the first phase of a larger holding.
Subject-to-planning contractHow a sale to us works
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.
Questions owners in Cornwall ask
What if my neighbours own part of the best site?
We can help bring owners together under an equalisation arrangement so value is shared fairly, whoever ends up with the roads or open space.
Will I be paid anything before planning?
Under an option, owners are usually paid a premium on signing, with the main payment when the land is sold after planning.
Which planning rules apply to land in Cornwall?
As Cornwall 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 Cornwall assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.