Frequently Asked Questions about UK Land

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Q: Can anyone own UK land?

A: Yes. there are no blocks on foreign ownership of land in the UK.

Q: What is the Land Registery?

A: The Land Registry is the government department that holds the records of all property in the United Kingdom. Most UK property is now registered at the Land Registry.

Q: How have land values changed in recent years?

A: The graph below shows how land values have increased in the UK.

Land values

Q: What about the Credit Crunch?

A: Prices are moving constantly as a result of the credit crunch with volatility in stocks and shares meaning some people are looking to buy land instead. There is no one answer to the situation at present and if you have a specific issue please contact us.

Q: How does the planning system work in the UK?

A: The planning system in England and Wales follows a plan-led system. This involves preparing plans that set out what can be built and where. The plan-led system was updated by an Act of Parliament (the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act) in December 2004. Under the new law there are now two main levels of plan:

Regional Spatial Strategies - each Regional Planning Body (such as the north-east of England) is preparing a Regional Spatial Strategy. This sets out things such as how many homes are needed to meet the future needs of people in the region, or whether the region needs a new major shopping centre or an airport.

Local Development Frameworks - Each local planning authority is preparing a Local Development Framework. This is a folder of documents that sets out how your local area may change over the next few years.

There may also be other types of plan, such as how to deal with waste. These are usually prepared by County Councils.

These different types of plan are usually available from your local library.

Q: Is there a housing crisis in the UK?

A: Yes! There is real pressure on the government to increase the supply of new homes particularly for first time buyers. Other factors like the fact there are more people living longer and more who live on their own are also causing demand to spiral upward. Estimates vary but between 3 and 4 million more homes are needed by 2020. (Source - Barker review of housing supply 2004.)

Q: I am being asked to buy a plot of land, how do I check out the company selling it?

A: We would advise you:

check the sellers details at Companies House to make sure they are a registered company
check they have a proper company address and they can be contacted on the phone
visit them at their offices if you can and generally research their background as much as you can

Q: Is land a short term investment?

A: Land investment is a medium term investment, typically you will see the very best returns after 3 or more years.

Q: How do I sell my land?

A: This can be done in a number of ways:

you can sell it yourself via a website or an exchange and mart style magazine
you can use a broker to sell it for you who will charge a commission
in some cases you can sell it via the company who sold it to you (who will also charge a commission) if they offer that service

Q: What type of return can I expect to make?

A: Returns can be very high when planning permission has been granted and are often greater than 500%. There is a finite supply of land in the UK, with an ever increasing demand. Basic laws of economics dictate that its value should increase over time.

Q: What are RSS and LDF plans?

A: Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) sets out the broad development strategy for a region for a fifteen to twenty year period. The RSS identifies the broad strategic locations, the scale and distribution of new housing; priorities for the environment and other matters including transport, infrastructure, economic development, agriculture, minerals, and waste treatment and disposal.

A Local Development Framework (LDF) is not a statutory term; however, it sets out, in the form of a portfolio, the local development documents which collectively comprise the spatial strategy for the local planning authority's area. Essentially, the local development documents apply the requirements of national planning policies and the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) on a local scale. The LDF include a policy which set out the strategy for the planned location of new housing and identifies specific allocations of land for particular uses and development.