What Should I Check Before Buying Woodland?

Buying woodland requires more than simply finding an attractive area of trees. Before you buy, check the woodland’s access, boundaries, ownership, tree condition, rights and restrictions, planning position, environmental constraints and management requirements. You should also consider what you want to use the woodland for and whether the site is suitable for that purpose.

Buying woodland: what to check is an important question because woodland can have very different characteristics from one parcel to another. The age and type of trees, access, ground conditions, legal rights and management requirements can all affect whether a particular woodland is suitable for you.

Some buyers are looking for a private place to enjoy nature and the countryside. Others may be interested in woodland management, recreation, conservation or another rural use. Your intended use should determine the checks you make before buying.

What Should I Check Before Buying Woodland?

Before purchasing woodland, consider the following:

• Location and accessibility
• Legal access
• Boundaries
• Ownership and title
• Tree species and condition
• Age and structure of the woodland
• Ground conditions and drainage
• Rights of way and other rights
• Covenants and restrictions
• Planning position
• Environmental designations
• Watercourses and flood risk
• Existing tracks, buildings and structures
• Management requirements
• Ongoing ownership costs

Not every issue will have the same importance for every buyer. The right checks depend on why you are buying the woodland and what you intend to do with it.

1. Check the Location

Think about how often you intend to use or manage the woodland and whether the location works for you.

Consider:

• Distance from your home
• Road access
• Nearby towns and services
• Surrounding land uses
• Privacy
• Noise
• Potential future changes around the site

A remote woodland may provide privacy and seclusion but could be considerably more difficult to access and manage.

2. Check the Access

Access is one of the most important practical issues when buying woodland.

Establish how you reach the woodland and whether the access is legally established.

Think about what type of access you actually need. Walking access is very different from access for a car, tractor, forestry machinery or delivery vehicle.

Check:

• The route from the public highway
• Width and condition of tracks
• Turning areas
• Gate access
• Seasonal accessibility
• Legal rights to use the access

If woodland management is part of your plans, make sure the access is capable of supporting the equipment that may be required.

3. Check the Legal Title

The title should be reviewed carefully before buying.

Look for:

• Rights of way
• Easements
• Access rights
• Covenants
• Utility rights
• Third-party rights
• Other restrictions affecting the land

The legal title can contain restrictions that are not obvious from simply walking around the woodland.

If a particular use is important to your purchase, establish whether the title permits or restricts that use.

4. Check the Boundaries

Walk the boundaries wherever possible and compare the physical features with the available title plan.

Look for fences, hedges, banks, ditches, streams and other features that may form the boundary.

Also establish responsibility for maintaining shared boundaries and check whether any boundary disputes or uncertainties exist.

5. Check the Trees

The trees are obviously central to the value and character of woodland, but not all woodland is the same.

Consider:

• Tree species
• Age of the trees
• Tree health
• Density
• Woodland structure
• Evidence of disease or damage
• Existing management
• Potential future management requirements

If timber value is important to you, appropriate professional forestry advice can help you understand the condition and potential of the woodland.

6. Check the Woodland Management

Woodland is not necessarily maintenance-free land.

Depending on the woodland, management may involve:

• Tree inspections
• Thinning
• Felling
• Replanting
• Track maintenance
• Boundary maintenance
• Vegetation management
• Managing damaged or unsafe trees

If you are new to woodland ownership, understand what management the particular site may require before buying it.

7. Check Whether the Woodland Has a Management Plan

If the woodland has previously been professionally managed, ask what information is available about its management history.

Depending on the woodland, relevant information may include:

• Previous management work
• Tree planting
• Thinning
• Felling
• Replanting
• Existing management plans

Understanding the history of the woodland can help you assess what work may be required in the future.

8. Check for Tree Protection

Do not assume that you can fell or substantially alter trees simply because you own the woodland.

Some trees may be protected and woodland can also be affected by planning and environmental controls.

If tree removal or significant management is important to your plans, establish the relevant requirements before proceeding.

9. Check Environmental Constraints

Woodland can have significant ecological and environmental value.

Depending on the site, consider:

• Protected species
• Habitats
• Ancient woodland considerations
• Watercourses
• Wetland areas
• Protected sites
• Other environmental designations

Environmental considerations can affect how the woodland can be managed or altered.

10. Check the Ground Conditions

Ground conditions can affect access, management and recreational use.

Consider:

• Slopes
• Wet areas
• Drainage
• Soil condition
• Tracks
• Potential erosion

A woodland that is easy to walk through in dry weather may be much harder to access during prolonged wet periods.

11. Check Watercourses and Drainage

If there are streams, ponds, ditches or other water features within or around the woodland, establish how they affect the property.

Consider:

• Flooding
• Drainage
• Bank condition
• Access across watercourses
• Maintenance responsibilities
• Environmental considerations

Water features can add to the amenity value of woodland but can also create additional management considerations.

12. Check Rights of Way

Find out whether public or private rights of way cross the woodland.

A public footpath, bridleway or other route can affect privacy, management and the way you use the land.

At the same time, established rights of way can provide useful access through or around the woodland.

Make sure you understand the legal position rather than relying solely on what appears to be a track on the ground.

13. Check Whether You Can Drive Vehicles Into the Woodland

Physical access does not necessarily mean you have unrestricted rights to drive vehicles over the land.

If you need to bring machinery, firewood, materials or other equipment into the woodland, establish that the relevant access rights exist.

This is particularly important if the woodland is reached through a third party’s land.

14. Check Existing Buildings and Structures

Some woodlands contain sheds, shelters, cabins, storage buildings or other structures.

Do not assume that an existing structure can automatically be used, occupied or replaced in the way you want.

Check:

• What the structure is used for
• Its condition
• Its legal status
• Its planning position
• Access to it
• Any restrictions affecting it

Can You Build a Cabin in Woodland?

Not simply because you own the woodland.

A cabin, lodge, dwelling, storage building or other structure may require planning permission or another consent depending on its circumstances and intended use.

The fact that a structure is small or located within woodland does not automatically mean that it can be installed without permission.

If a building is important to your plans, establish the planning position before buying.

Can You Live in Woodland?

Buying woodland does not automatically give you the right to live on it.

Permanent residential occupation raises planning and other legal considerations that need to be assessed separately.

If residential use is one of the reasons you are considering a woodland purchase, obtain appropriate planning advice before committing to the property.

Can You Use Woodland for Recreation?

Woodland can provide an attractive setting for private recreation, walking, nature observation and enjoying the countryside.

However, the extent of permitted recreational use can depend on the land’s legal and planning position.

Private enjoyment is also different from introducing a commercial activity, organised events or regular public access.

Can You Use Woodland for Camping?

Do not assume that owning woodland automatically gives you the right to establish camping or glamping accommodation.

Commercial camping, glamping, cabins and other tourism uses can involve planning and other regulatory considerations.

If tourism is part of your reason for buying woodland, investigate the relevant planning position before purchasing.

What About Timber Value?

Some woodland buyers are interested in timber as well as recreation or conservation.

If timber value is important to your purchase, consider obtaining appropriate forestry advice on matters such as:

• Tree species
• Age and maturity
• Timber quality
• Existing management
• Access for forestry machinery
• Potential management operations

Do not assume that a woodland with a large number of trees necessarily has a particular commercial timber value.

How Much Does Woodland Cost?

There is no single price for woodland in the UK.

Values can vary according to:

• Location
• Acreage
• Tree species
• Age and condition
• Access
• Privacy
• Recreational appeal
• Timber potential
• Buildings and facilities
• Environmental constraints
• Planning position

Two woodlands of similar acreage can therefore have very different characteristics and values.

How to Compare Woodland for Sale

If you find several woodland opportunities, compare the features that matter to your intended use.

Should You Visit Woodland Before Buying?

Yes. A woodland should ideally be viewed on foot rather than assessed entirely from photographs.

When viewing, consider:

• How you reach the woodland
• The condition of tracks
• The boundaries
• The health and variety of trees
• Ground conditions
• Water and drainage
• Existing structures
• Rights of way
• Neighbouring land uses
• The overall condition of the woodland

Walking the entire site, where practical, can reveal differences that are not obvious from the entrance or a small number of photographs.

What Are the Ongoing Costs of Owning Woodland?

Woodland ownership can involve ongoing management and maintenance.

Potential costs can include:

• Track maintenance
• Boundary repairs
• Tree inspections
• Tree management
• Vegetation control
• Professional forestry advice
• Insurance
• Maintenance of buildings or structures

The actual requirements will depend on the individual woodland and how you intend to use it.

What If You Cannot Find the Right Woodland?

Woodland can be highly location-specific, and suitable opportunities may not always be available when you start looking.

If you know the area, acreage and type of woodland you want, it can be useful to make your requirements known to specialist land agents and register your interest for future opportunities.

At Your Landstore, you can also tell us what land you’re looking for.

You can specify your preferred location and land requirements so your search is recorded in our buyer database. Where there is a suitable match, you can receive an email alert from the day the land is listed, giving you the opportunity to consider it early.

Explore Woodland for Sale

If you are actively looking for woodland, you can explore our woodland category for current opportunities.

You may also find relevant land within our amenity land, smallholding and wider land for sale categories.

Frequently Asked Questions