Free Site Appraisal in Dorset
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in Dorset has realistic potential for new homes. Our free appraisal starts with a desktop review of official planning documents, maps and title records, and may lead to a site visit. You get a plain-English view on prospects, risks and next steps.
DorsetFree 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
Selling land around Dorset
Across Dorset, we cover Bournemouth and 3 other towns, among them Christchurch, Weymouth and Poole. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Wiltshire.
Typical sites we review near Dorset include backland plots with a workable access, large and long rear gardens and former garage blocks and yards. As Dorset is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you own land near Dorset, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Our approach in Dorset
Access and highways
We look at road frontage, the likely junction position and visibility, and whether the adopted highway actually reaches your land or stops short of it.
Title and boundaries
We read the title register and plan for covenants, rights of way and easements that could affect development, and flag anything your solicitor should look at more closely.
Routes explained
We set out which deals could suit your land, from direct purchase and conditional contracts to options, promotion agreements and joint ventures, with the trade-offs of each.
Constraints mapped
Flood zones, conservation areas, listed buildings, protected trees, ecological designations and landscape protections are all checked against your boundary using official mapping and published public records.
Rules that apply in Dorset
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Dorset 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, we check the Local Plan and policies map, the Environment Agency's flood map for planning, Green Belt boundaries, designations shown on Defra's MAGIC map, and whether the site appears on the council's brownfield land register. Title comes from HM Land Registry. We also consider whether biodiversity net gain would apply to the likely scheme.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Questions about Free Site Appraisal in Dorset
Will you contact my neighbours or the council?
Not without your agreement. We use what you share to assess your land and discuss it with you. Our desktop review relies on published records and mapping. If talking to a neighbour or the council would help, we will ask you first and explain why.
What information do I need to provide for a site appraisal?
A postcode or rough boundary is enough to start. It helps to add the title number if you know it, the current use, any planning history, any tenancies, and known issues such as drainage or access disputes. Photos and existing reports are useful but not essential.
Can I ask for an appraisal on land I am selling for someone else?
Yes, if you are acting for the owner, for example as an executor, trustee, attorney or land agent. We will need to understand your authority before discussing terms. If you are a buyer looking at land, a planning consultant or surveyor can advise you independently.
Does a site appraisal mean I will get planning permission?
No. Nobody can promise planning permission, because the decision rests with the planning authority, or on appeal. The appraisal gives an informed view of prospects and risks, based on policy and constraints, so you can decide whether pursuing planning is worth the time and cost.
Do you buy land in Dorset?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Dorset, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Free Site Appraisal · Guide: How is development land valued?