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For landowners · Devon

Sell Land for Development in Barnstaple

Can I sell land for development in Barnstaple?

Land to Homes buys and promotes development land in Barnstaple, from a single infill plot to fields on the edge of town. We start with a free, no-obligation appraisal, explain whether a direct sale, an option or a promotion agreement suits your land, and put every term in writing before you commit to anything.

Misty paddock at sunrise on the edge of a market town with a church spireBarnstaple · EX31

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 Barnstaple

In Devon, Barnstaple lies about 49 miles north of Plymouth; its central postcode district is EX31. Nearby, we also cover Bideford, Bude and Tiverton, all within 28 miles. Within England, Barnstaple falls in the South West region.

Around Barnstaple we look at infill gaps along existing streets, large and long rear gardens and backland plots with a workable access. Because Barnstaple is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

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

How we work in Barnstaple

Three ways to sell

A direct purchase, an option agreement or a promotion agreement. We explain the trade-off between certainty now and value later, in writing, so you can compare like with like.

Direct purchase on suitable sites

Where a site suits us, we can buy it ourselves with or without planning, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.

Straight answers on value

We explain how development land is valued, including the costs a buyer has to allow for, so you understand an offer rather than just receiving one.

Every nation covered

We work across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and tailor each deal to the planning and conveyancing rules that apply where your land sits.

How the rules work in Barnstaple

Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Barnstaple may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.

In England, planning decisions follow the National Planning Policy Framework and the council's Local Plan. Where a council cannot show enough land for housing, sites on the edge of settlements can come forward sooner, which affects whether we buy now or promote.

Key rules in Barnstaple
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
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.

Sell Land for Development in Barnstaple: questions

What size of land do you buy?

From single infill plots that could take one or two homes up to fields large enough for a full development. If a site is too small or too constrained for us, we will tell you quickly rather than leave you waiting.

Can I sell land for development without planning permission?

Yes. Many sites change hands without planning. A buyer will either pay a price that reflects the planning risk, or agree a deal where the final price is set once permission is granted. We can do either, and we will explain which gives you the better outcome for your land.

Will I have to pay tax when I sell land?

Selling land can create a Capital Gains Tax or Income Tax liability depending on your circumstances. We are not tax advisers, so we always recommend speaking to an accountant before you agree terms. GOV.UK has a guide to tax when you sell land and property.

Who pays the legal fees when I sell land?

On a straightforward sale each side normally pays its own. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes we pay your reasonable legal fees, and the amount is agreed in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor.

Do you work with landowners in Barnstaple?

We do. We work with landowners in Barnstaple and elsewhere in Devon, including Plymstock, Newton Abbot and Bideford. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Sell Land for Development · 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.

CallFree appraisal