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For landowners · Devon

Sell Land Without Planning in Exmouth

Can I sell land without planning in Exmouth?

Land without planning permission in Exmouth can still be sold for development. Its value rests on hope, meaning how likely it is that new homes will be allowed. Land to Homes can buy suitable sites as they stand, agree a contract that completes only if planning is granted, or partner with you through an option or promotion agreement.

Grass field bordered by a hedgerow, with the backs of a housing estate along one sideExmouth · EX8

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 and sites near Exmouth

Exmouth sits about 37 miles north-east of Plymouth in Devon, in the EX8 postcode district. Close by, our coverage also takes in Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay. Exmouth is in the South West region of England.

In and around Exmouth, the land we appraise ranges from small holdings and pony paddocks to large and long rear gardens, including brownfield land in and around Exmouth. In England, where Exmouth sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

Send us a postcode in or near EX8 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Why work with Land to Homes in Exmouth

Hope value explained

Land with no permission but a realistic chance of one is worth more than its current use value, but less than consented land. We explain where your site sits on that scale and why.

Conditional contracts

Contracts are signed now, but the sale only completes if a satisfactory planning permission is granted by a longstop date. The price is usually fixed, or set by an agreed formula, when the contract is signed.

Local plan timing

Councils review their development plans periodically and invite landowners to put sites forward. We check where your council is in that cycle, because it can matter more than any single application.

Constraints checked first

Flood risk, access, heritage, ecology, protected trees and landscape designations can each decide whether planning is realistic. We look at all of these before discussing any deal or price mechanism with you.

Planning and land rules in Exmouth

Selling development land in Exmouth usually starts with heads of terms, a short written summary of price, conditions and fees, before solicitors draft the contract. In England the sale becomes binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title then registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer normally pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.

In England, the starting point is the Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Councils assess land put forward in a housing and economic land availability assessment. Smaller housing-led sites can apply for Permission in Principle to test whether the location is acceptable, and some Green Belt land may now be assessed as grey belt.

Key rules in Exmouth
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.
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Exmouth

What is a subject to planning contract?

It is a contract where both sides commit now, but the sale only completes if a satisfactory planning permission is granted. It sets a longstop date, defines what counts as satisfactory and usually says who controls the application. If permission is not granted by the longstop date, either side can normally withdraw without penalty.

Can I get planning on land outside the settlement boundary?

Sometimes. Land just outside a boundary is usually treated as countryside, where new housing is restricted. Prospects improve if the council allocates the land in a new plan, or where national policy gives weight to unmet housing need. Each nation handles this differently, so we explain the position for your council area.

What is hope value?

Hope value is the extra amount a buyer will pay above a site's existing use value because there is a realistic prospect of planning permission. The stronger the prospect, and the sooner permission could realistically come, the higher the hope value tends to be. It is lower than the value with permission, because the buyer carries the planning risk.

Is a field with no road frontage worth selling for development?

It can be, but access is the first question any buyer asks. If the only route in crosses land owned by someone else, rights need to be agreed or a strip bought. We check title plans and highway records before suggesting any deal, so you know whether access is a hurdle or a dead end.

Is Exmouth an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Exmouth and elsewhere in Devon, including Newton Abbot, Plymouth and Barnstaple. 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 Land Without Planning · Guide: How is development land valued?

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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