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For landowners · Cornwall

Sell Brownfield Land in Bude

Can I sell brownfield land for housing in Bude?

Brownfield land in Bude is land that has been built on or used before, such as a former yard, depot, garage block, workshop or car park. Planning policy across the UK generally favours reusing it for homes, but ground contamination, demolition, old services and neighbouring uses all affect value. Land to Homes assesses each of these before making an offer.

Surveyor in hi-vis using a GPS rover pole in a grass field near a villageBude · EX23

Free site appraisal

Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.

Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.

  • Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
  • Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
  • Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
  • Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
  • UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI

Land and sites near Bude

About 45 miles north-east of Truro, Bude is part of our Cornwall coverage, centred on postcode district EX23. If your land sits between towns, Launceston, Bideford and Bodmin are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Bude is in the South West region of England.

In and around Bude, the land we appraise ranges from land that already has planning permission to fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, including redundant commercial buildings. As Bude is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Send us a postcode in or near EX23 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Why work with Land to Homes in Bude

Tenants and leases

If business tenants remain, their lease terms and any statutory protection affect when the site can be cleared. We review the leases before agreeing timing with you.

Contamination assessed in stages

Ground investigation is usually staged: a desk study of past uses, intrusive sampling if needed, then a remediation strategy and verification. Existing reports save time and cost, so share any you hold.

Demolition and asbestos

Older buildings often contain asbestos, which must be surveyed and removed by licensed specialists where required before demolition. These costs feed into the price, so an early survey supports a firmer offer.

Loss of employment land

Councils may resist losing business land to housing. Policies vary, so we check whether marketing evidence or a viability case is likely to be needed before any application is made.

Rules that apply in Bude

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Bude are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.

In England, councils keep brownfield land registers, and sites on Part 2 of a register can be granted Permission in Principle. The NPPF gives substantial weight to using suitable brownfield land for homes. Contamination is normally handled through planning conditions, following the Environment Agency's land contamination risk management guidance, with Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as a backstop.

Key rules in Bude
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry.

Common questions in Bude

What counts as brownfield land?

Brownfield, or previously developed land, is land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the land around it. Former yards, depots, garage blocks and commercial buildings usually qualify. Definitions vary by nation, and some exclude private gardens, agricultural buildings or sites where earlier remains have blended into the landscape.

Who pays for contamination clean-up when I sell?

It is negotiated. Usually the buyer allows for remediation in the price it offers, so the cost is reflected in the land value. Contract terms can also deal with environmental liabilities after the sale. Where contamination is serious, environmental law can in some cases leave liability with whoever caused it, so take legal advice.

What is a garage block worth for development?

It depends on how many homes the plot could take once the garages are cleared, how the garages are currently used, the width of the access and whether any are let. Some garage sites suit a small group of homes or bungalows. We cannot give a value without seeing the site, but our appraisal explains the factors.

What is a sequential test for flood risk?

It is a planning test that steers new development to areas at the lowest risk of flooding. If a site is in a higher-risk area, the applicant may need to show there are no reasonably available sites at lower risk. England applies it through the NPPF; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own flood policies.

Do you work with landowners in Bude?

We do. We work with landowners in Bude and elsewhere in Cornwall, including St Austell, Launceston and Camborne. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Sell Brownfield Land · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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