Free Site Appraisal in Oxfordshire
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in Oxfordshire 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.
OxfordshireFree 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 Oxfordshire
We cover 6 places across Oxfordshire: Oxford is the main one, alongside Witney, Abingdon and Bicester. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire. Our Great Barr head office in Birmingham is about 60 miles from the middle of Oxfordshire.
Typical sites we review near Oxfordshire include redundant commercial buildings, land behind street frontages and brownfield land in and around Oxford. Because Oxfordshire is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Tell us where your land is around Oxfordshire and we will explain the routes open to you.
What we offer in Oxfordshire
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.
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.
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.
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.
The English system, as it applies in Oxfordshire
If your land near Oxfordshire 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.
| 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 |
Free Site Appraisal in Oxfordshire: questions
Will you need to visit my land?
Often, if the desktop review shows realistic potential. We will arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain what we want to look at, such as the access point, boundaries and ground conditions. Many sites can be ruled in or out without a visit.
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.
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.
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.
Do you buy land in Oxfordshire?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Oxfordshire, including Oxford, Bicester and Abingdon. 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: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know