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For landowners · Kent

Free Site Appraisal in Canterbury

How do I get a free site appraisal in Canterbury?

Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in Canterbury 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.

Ripe wheat field edge with a village church tower and rooftops beyond the hedgeCanterbury · CT1

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

Selling land around Canterbury

Canterbury (CT1) is one of the Kent towns we cover, about 24 miles east of Maidstone. The nearest other places we cover are Whitstable (6 miles), Herne Bay (7 miles) and Faversham (9 miles). Canterbury is in the South East region of England.

Around Canterbury we look at redundant commercial buildings, brownfield land in and around Canterbury and infill gaps along existing streets. In England, where Canterbury sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

If you own land near Canterbury, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.

Our approach in Canterbury

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.

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.

Planning policy reviewed

We read the adopted development plan, its policies map and any emerging plan, and note how your land is treated: within a settlement boundary, allocated, protected or open countryside.

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.

Planning and land rules in Canterbury

If your land near Canterbury 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, 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.

Key rules in Canterbury
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 transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
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.

Your questions answered for Canterbury

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.

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.

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 does a free site appraisal include?

It covers local planning policy, constraints such as flood risk and heritage, access to the road, title issues, services, and an indication of the kind of scheme that might fit. It ends with a view on the realistic routes for your land. It is not a formal valuation, and it is not legal advice.

Do you work with landowners in Canterbury?

We do. We work with landowners in Canterbury and elsewhere in Kent, including Gravesend, Tonbridge and Broadstairs. 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: Overage and clawback: how they work when you sell 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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