Strategic land wanted in Royston
Development Land Wanted buys strategic land in Royston and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
Strategic land means sites big enough to need long-term promotion, infrastructure and often a local plan allocation. Owners typically keep the land while it is promoted and are paid when planning is secured and the land is sold.
- Size
- 50+ homes
- Planning
- Usually without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Option or JV
What strategic land we want near Royston
Larger landholdings on the approaches to Royston are where strategic land usually comes from, particularly near transport links. Sitting about 18 miles north of Hertford, Royston is within Hertfordshire, with Letchworth Garden City and Biggleswade close by.
- Land for 50 or more homes next to a town or larger village
- Land near railway stations or good bus routes
- Holdings where neighbouring owners may collaborate
- Land with more than one possible access point
The M1, A1(M), M25 and several commuter rail lines into London make many Hertfordshire villages well connected to stations, which revised English planning policy treats as a factor in favour of development. Former employment sites, garages, yards and paddocks on town edges are common sources of smaller housing land.
What usually makes or breaks it
Local plan timing
Strategic sites usually move with the plan cycle, so we look at where the council is in its review.
Infrastructure
Schools, roads, drainage and power capacity shape what a large site must provide.
Land assembly
Larger schemes often need several owners to agree a fair way to share value.
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.
Some land in Hertfordshire 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 87 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Royston
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 contractWhat happens after you get in touch
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.
Strategic land in Royston: common questions
How long does strategic land take?
Often several years, because it may need a local plan allocation and then an outline permission. We are honest about timing for each site.
Do I need to do anything while the land is promoted?
Usually very little beyond signing representations and allowing surveys. You normally keep using the land.
Is Royston too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 87 miles from Royston, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
How quickly can you look at a site in Royston?
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.