Sell Land Without Planning in Torquay
Most development land in Torquay starts life with no planning at all. If your field, yard or paddock sits close to existing homes, you have a choice: take a lower price now and pass the risk to a buyer, or wait for planning and share in the higher value. We set out both sides in writing after a free appraisal.
Torquay · TQ2Free 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
Our coverage in Torquay
Torquay sits about 28 miles east of Plymouth in Devon, in the TQ2 postcode district. If your land sits between towns, Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Torquay falls in the South West region.
Around Torquay we look at redundant agricultural buildings, infill gaps along existing streets and large and long rear gardens. In England, where Torquay 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 TQ2 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
What we offer in Torquay
Buying land as it stands
Where we can see a planning route we are prepared to back, we can buy your land as it stands, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.
Planning funded on promotion
Nothing to pay upfront: on a promotion agreement we fund the planning work, and those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. The detail is set out in the heads of terms.
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.
Option or promotion routes
Where planning will take longer, an option or promotion agreement lets us fund the application while you keep ownership. We explain the difference, including who benefits from a higher or lower sale price.
Planning and land rules in Torquay
If your land near Torquay 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, 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.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| 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 Sell Land Without Planning in Torquay
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 keep using the land while planning is pursued?
Usually, yes. Under options and promotion agreements you normally keep ownership and can carry on using the land, for example for grazing or farming, until it is sold. The agreement sets out access for surveys and any restrictions, such as on granting new long-term tenancies.
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.
Should I apply for planning permission myself before selling?
You can, but an application costs money in surveys, reports and fees, and a refusal can make the land harder to sell. A scheme designed by someone who does not intend to build may also not suit housebuilders. Many landowners prefer a partner who carries the cost and risk of planning instead.
Do you buy land in Torquay?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Torquay and elsewhere in Devon, including Paignton, Plymstock and Exmouth. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell Land Without Planning · Guide: How is development land valued?