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If you are considering buying land, the asking price is only one part of the decision. Before committing to a purchase, you need to understand what the land can be used for, whether there are restrictions affecting it and what additional costs or risks may be involved.
Knowing what to check before buying land can help you compare opportunities more effectively and identify questions that need to be answered before you make an offer.
What Should I Check Before Buying Land?
Before buying land, check the planning position, permitted use, access, legal title, services, site constraints, flooding, ground conditions, restrictions and likely additional costs.
The checks you need will depend on the type of land you are buying and what you intend to do with it.
TELL US WHAT LAND YOU’RE LOOKING FOR →1. Decide What You Want to Use the Land For
The first question to answer is what you actually want to do with the land.
You might be looking for a building plot, a self-build site, development land, agricultural land, equestrian land, a smallholding, woodland or land for another specific purpose.
Your intended use will determine many of the checks you need to carry out.
For example, a buyer looking for agricultural land may have very different requirements from someone looking for a site on which to build a house.
2. Check the Planning Position
Planning is one of the most important things to investigate if you are buying land for development or a particular change of use.
Find out whether the land already has planning permission and, if it does, exactly what has been approved.
Do not assume that a listing description tells you everything you need to know about planning. Review the actual planning permission, approved plans and any relevant conditions.
If there is no planning permission, consider why you are interested in the site and what evidence exists to support the potential use you have in mind.
Planning Permission Is Not the Same as Development Certainty
Even where planning permission exists, there may be conditions, infrastructure requirements, access issues or other matters that need to be resolved before development can proceed.
Always investigate the specific planning permission and obtain appropriate professional advice where necessary.
3. Check What the Planning Permission Actually Allows
If the land has planning permission, do not simply rely on the words “planning permission granted”.
Establish what has actually been approved.
- How many properties or units are permitted?
- What type of development has been approved?
- What are the approved floorspaces or dimensions?
- Are there planning conditions that must be discharged?
- Are there restrictions on the use of the property?
- Are there requirements relating to access, drainage, landscaping or ecology?
- Is the permission still valid?
These details can have a significant effect on the opportunity and its value.
4. Check Access to the Land
Access is another important consideration.
Establish how you will legally and physically reach the land and whether the existing access is suitable for your intended use.
For development land, access can become particularly important because the highway authority may have requirements concerning visibility, road layout, traffic movements or site access.
You should also establish whether access is owned outright or depends on rights over neighbouring land.
5. Check the Legal Title
The legal title should be investigated before buying land.
A solicitor or conveyancer can review the title and identify matters that may affect your ownership or intended use.
These can include:
- rights of way;
- restrictive covenants;
- easements;
- rights benefiting neighbouring land;
- rights reserved to third parties;
- access arrangements; and
- other restrictions affecting the property.
A piece of land can look straightforward on the ground while the legal position is considerably more complicated.
6. Check for Restrictive Covenants and Other Restrictions
Restrictions on the title can affect what you are able to do with the land.
A restrictive covenant, for example, may restrict particular uses or development, depending on the wording and circumstances.
This is one reason why legal due diligence is important before purchasing land for a specific purpose.
7. Check What Services Are Available
If you intend to develop or build on the land, establish what utilities are available and where they are located.
Depending on the site, you may need to investigate:
- electricity;
- mains water;
- foul drainage;
- surface water drainage;
- gas;
- telecommunications; and
- other infrastructure.
Do not assume that a service being available somewhere nearby means that connecting your site will be simple or inexpensive.
Connection routes, capacity, infrastructure and site conditions can all affect the eventual cost.
8. Check Flood Risk and Drainage
Flood risk can be an important consideration when assessing land.
Depending on the location and intended use, you may need to investigate the site’s flood risk and how surface water and foul drainage could be dealt with.
For development land, drainage can be particularly important because the proposed development may need to demonstrate an appropriate strategy for managing surface water.
9. Check the Ground and Site Conditions
The physical characteristics of the land can affect both its suitability and the cost of using or developing it.
Depending on the site, issues could include:
- ground conditions;
- slopes and changes in levels;
- ground stability;
- contamination;
- trees and roots;
- drainage;
- archaeology;
- ecology; and
- other environmental constraints.
Not every site will require the same investigations, but potential abnormal costs should be considered when assessing the purchase.
10. Check for Environmental and Ecological Constraints
Environmental constraints can affect what can be done with land.
Depending on its location, you may need to consider matters such as protected habitats, trees, protected species, landscape designations or other environmental considerations.
These issues do not necessarily prevent a purchase or development, but they can affect design, timescales and costs.
11. Check the Surrounding Area
Do not only look at the land itself.
Consider the surrounding area and whether it suits your intended use.
- What is around the site?
- Are there neighbouring properties?
- Are there busy roads nearby?
- Are there existing businesses or commercial uses?
- Are there overhead power lines or other infrastructure?
- Is the location suitable for the type of property or use you want?
- Are there any obvious future changes planned nearby?
For someone planning to build a home, for example, the immediate surroundings may be just as important as the size of the plot.
12. Check the Acreage and Usable Area
Make sure you understand how much land you are actually buying.
The advertised acreage may include areas that are difficult or impossible to use for the purpose you have in mind.
For development sites, the gross site area is not necessarily the same as the area that can be developed.
Access roads, landscaping, drainage infrastructure, ecological areas, open space and other requirements may reduce the amount of land available for the main use.
13. Check the Total Cost — Not Just the Asking Price
A cheap piece of land is not necessarily the cheapest opportunity.
When comparing land, consider the likely costs after purchase as well as the purchase price.
Potential Additional Costs
- Legal and conveyancing fees.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax where applicable.
- Surveys and technical investigations.
- Planning and professional fees.
- Architectural fees.
- Highways and access works.
- Utility connections.
- Drainage and infrastructure.
- Ecological or environmental investigations.
- Construction and development costs.
- Finance costs.
The actual costs will depend on the land and the intended use, so appropriate professional advice should be obtained where required.
14. Compare the Land With Other Opportunities
Before making an offer, compare the opportunity with similar land currently available or recently marketed.
Look at more than the asking price.
| What to Compare | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|
| Location | Is the location comparable and does it suit your intended use? |
| Planning | Does the other land have the same or a different planning position? |
| Size | How much usable land are you actually getting? |
| Access | Does each site have suitable legal and physical access? |
| Services | Are utilities readily available? |
| Constraints | Are there environmental, drainage, ground or other issues? |
| Price | What are you actually paying for the opportunity? |
| Future costs | Could one site require significantly more expenditure than another? |
15. Don’t Assume That Planning Potential Will Become Planning Permission
Some land is marketed because of its potential for future development.
Potential can be an important consideration, but it is not the same as having planning permission.
Planning decisions depend on the circumstances of each site and the relevant planning policies and considerations.
If your purchase depends on obtaining planning permission, make sure you understand the risks before committing significant funds.
What Should I Ask Before Buying Land?
Before making an offer, it can be useful to prepare a list of questions based on your intended use.
Questions to Ask
- What can the land currently be used for?
- Does it have planning permission?
- What exactly does the planning permission allow?
- Is the planning permission still valid?
- How is the land accessed?
- Are there legal rights of access?
- What services are available?
- Are there restrictive covenants?
- Are there rights of way or easements?
- Is the land affected by flooding?
- Are there environmental or ecological constraints?
- Could there be significant abnormal costs?
- What additional professional fees should be allowed for?
- Does the purchase still make sense after allowing for those costs?
When Should I Get Professional Advice?
Professional advice can be particularly important where the purchase involves development, planning uncertainty, complex title matters or significant expenditure.
A solicitor or conveyancer can investigate the legal position, while planning consultants, surveyors, architects, engineers or other specialists may be appropriate depending on the site and your intended use.
The right professional advice will depend on the particular opportunity.
Find Land That Matches What You Are Looking For
Knowing what to check is important, but the first step is finding opportunities that actually fit your requirements.
Your Landstore allows buyers to tell us what type of land they are looking for and where they want to buy.
You can specify your requirements and register them with Your Landstore. Where a suitable opportunity matches a registered buyer’s requirements, that buyer can be contacted about the opportunity.
Tell Us What Land You’re Looking For
Looking for a building plot, self-build site, development land, smallholding, equestrian land or another type of land? Tell us what you are looking for and register your requirements.
REGISTER YOUR LAND SEARCH →Buying Land Checklist
Before You Commit to a Purchase
- Define what you want to use the land for.
- Check the planning position.
- Review any planning permission and conditions.
- Check legal access.
- Review the legal title and restrictions.
- Investigate services and utility connections.
- Consider flooding and drainage.
- Consider ground, environmental and ecological constraints.
- Check the surrounding area.
- Confirm the acreage and usable area.
- Estimate additional costs.
- Compare the opportunity with alternatives.
- Obtain appropriate professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check before buying land?
Check the planning position, permitted use, access, legal title, restrictions, services, flooding, drainage, ground conditions, environmental constraints and likely additional costs. The checks required will depend on the type of land and what you intend to do with it.
Should I check planning permission before buying land?
Yes, particularly if you are buying land for development or a specific change of use. Establish exactly what planning permission exists and what conditions or restrictions apply.
What legal checks should I carry out when buying land?
Legal checks can include reviewing the title, rights of way, easements, restrictive covenants and other matters that could affect ownership or your intended use. A solicitor or conveyancer can advise on the appropriate checks.
What should I check about access to land?
Establish how the land is accessed, whether you have a legal right to use the access and whether the access is suitable for the intended use. Development sites may also need to satisfy highway requirements.
Should I check services before buying a building plot?
Yes. Investigate the availability and likely connection costs for electricity, water, drainage, telecommunications and other services. Nearby services do not necessarily mean that connecting the site will be straightforward or inexpensive.
Can Your Landstore help me find land to buy?
You can register your requirements with Your Landstore and tell us what type of land and location you are looking for. Where a suitable opportunity matches a registered buyer’s requirements, the buyer can be contacted about it.
Looking for Land to Buy?
Tell Your Landstore what you are looking for, register your requirements and browse current land opportunities across the UK.
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR →VIEW LAND FOR SALE →
