Strategic land wanted in Chichester
Development Land Wanted buys strategic land in Chichester 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
The strategic land that interests us around Chichester
If you own a substantial holding near Chichester, the council's plan timetable will shape when and how it could be promoted. As the county town of West Sussex, Chichester anchors the area we cover here, along with Bognor Regis, Emsworth and Hayling Island.
- 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
Water neutrality advice that held up many schemes around Crawley, Horsham and Chichester was withdrawn from 1 November 2025, though water efficiency remains important.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.
Checks we make on strategic land in Chichester
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.
Station proximity (England)
The August 2026 NPPF gives new support to suitable development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations.
Since 6 August 2026, non-major development on sites of 0.2 hectares or less in England has generally been exempt from mandatory biodiversity net gain, unless priority habitat is affected. That makes many small sites simpler to bring forward.
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 Chichester, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
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 contractFrom first call to completion
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 Chichester ask
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.
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.
Can an agent introduce land in Chichester 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 Chichester?
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.
