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For landowners · Kent

Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Deal

Can I sell a paddock or farmland for housing in Deal?

Selling farmland or paddocks in Deal for development usually means land on the edge of a town or village that could take new homes once planning policy allows. Value depends heavily on planning prospects, so many deals are options or promotion agreements that let you keep farming until permission is granted and the land is sold.

Aerial view of long rear gardens behind 1930s semi-detached houses backing onto a paddockDeal · CT14

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 we look at around Deal

About 38 miles east of Maidstone, Deal is part of our Kent coverage, centred on postcode district CT14. If your land sits between towns, Dover, Ramsgate and Broadstairs are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Deal falls in the South East region.

Sites worth a conversation around Deal: land behind street frontages, paddocks on the edge of Deal and infill gaps along existing streets. As Deal is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Tell us where your land is around Deal and we will explain the routes open to you.

How we work in Deal

Fees covered on options

On option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms, so specialist rural legal advice is within reach.

Keep farming meanwhile

Under an option or promotion agreement, you normally stay in possession and keep farming or grazing until the land is sold, subject to access for surveys and agreed notice periods.

Tenancies handled carefully

If the land is let, the type of tenancy decides how and when vacant possession can be obtained. We look at the tenancy before proposing any deal and recommend specialist agricultural advice.

Access kept to retained fields

Deals can reserve access rights, service connections and drainage routes for the rest of your holding, so a new scheme does not cut off fields or buildings you keep.

The English system, as it applies in Deal

If your land near Deal lies in the Green Belt, national policy still protects it, but England's planning framework now recognises grey belt: Green Belt land that is previously developed or does not strongly contribute to certain Green Belt purposes. Where there is evidenced unmet need and the location is sustainable, grey belt housing can be acceptable, with major schemes meeting the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure and green space. Planning is never guaranteed, so we check policy, access and constraints first.

In England, the NPPF asks councils to take account of the value of higher-quality farmland, and Local Plans set settlement boundaries. Agricultural tenancies may fall under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 or be farm business tenancies, each with its own rules. Land in Environmental Land Management or Countryside Stewardship agreements needs checking before it is taken out.

Key rules in Deal
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
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 Deal

How long does it take to get planning on farmland?

There is no set timescale. A field allocated in a development plan can move to an application relatively directly, while unallocated land may need to wait for the next plan review. That is why options and promotion agreements on farmland usually run over a defined term with a longstop date.

What happens to my tenant farmer if I sell for development?

It depends on the tenancy. Some older agricultural tenancies give tenants strong security, while newer tenancies and grazing licences are usually more flexible. Planning permission for a non-agricultural use can sometimes support ending a tenancy, but the rules are technical and specialist advice is essential. We factor the tenancy into any deal.

Is agricultural land worth more with planning permission?

Usually much more, because residential land values are generally far higher than farming values. Even without permission, land with realistic prospects can attract hope value. The gap depends on location, how many homes could be built and the costs a builder faces. Our free appraisal explains the factors for your field.

How do I keep access to the rest of my farm?

Through rights reserved in the agreement and the eventual transfer. These can include a right of way through the new estate road, service connections and drainage routes for retained land. Plan them early, because once a layout is approved it is much harder to add access later.

Is Deal an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Deal and elsewhere in Kent, including Margate, Gillingham and Dartford. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.

Read more: Sell Farmland and Paddocks · Guide: Biodiversity net gain for landowners: what it means for your land

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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