Free Site Appraisal in St Albans
Think of a free site appraisal in St Albans as the first honest conversation about your land. It will not set a price or promise planning permission. It will tell you which constraints matter, whether access works, what the planning policy says, and which kind of deal, if any, makes sense to pursue.
St Albans · AL1Free 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 St Albans
St Albans (AL1) is one of the Hertfordshire towns we cover, about 7 miles north of Watford. If your land sits between towns, Harpenden, Hatfield and Hemel Hempstead are the closest neighbouring places on our list. St Albans is part of England’s East of England region.
Sites worth a conversation around St Albans: fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, brownfield land in and around St Albans and large and long rear gardens. Because St Albans is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you own land near St Albans, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
What you get in St Albans
No obligation, no cost
The appraisal is free and there is no obligation to go any further. If your land is unlikely to suit new homes, we will tell you plainly and explain why.
Services and drainage
We check where sewers, water mains and power run, and flag where limited capacity, long connections or drainage design could add significant cost to a scheme.
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.
Indicative scheme
Where prospects look reasonable, we outline what might fit as a broad indication rather than a design, so you can understand the likely scale and form of development.
Planning and land rules in St Albans
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around St Albans, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.
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 |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| 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. |
Your questions answered for St Albans
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.
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.
Will the appraisal tell me what my land is worth?
Not as a formal valuation. We explain the factors that drive development land value for your site, such as the likely number of homes, local sale values and build costs. If we make an offer later, it will be in writing. For a formal valuation, instruct a chartered surveyor.
Is the site appraisal really free?
Yes. The appraisal is free and carries no obligation. You do not have to sign anything to receive it, and asking for one does not commit you to selling or entering any agreement. If you later decide to go ahead, any terms are set out in writing first.
Do you work with landowners in St Albans?
We do. We work with landowners in St Albans and elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including Cheshunt, Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Free Site Appraisal · Guide: Landowner joint ventures explained: sharing in the development