How can I tell if a plot has the potential for planning consent?

I would like to find a site that has the opportunity for planning approval but doesn’t yet have permission. This is because I would like to save money wherever possible. What kind of things should I look for in a site?

Viable land is a tricky thing to find, especially if you’re hoping to pay well below the ‘with planning’ value. It is rare for a plot that has genuine potential to be sold off at a figure that doesn’t reflect that promise. In fact, if land appears to be a genuine building plot, but is being sold off cheaply, there’s one important question you should be asking: what’s wrong with it?

You’ll find odd bits of land, some with apparent potential, being sold at auction and, to a lesser extent, through estate agents. Do be careful though. If it’s cheap, it’s probably because there are problems preventing or adding cost to building on it.

is could include planning issues, restrictive covenants, rights of way or poor ground conditions (to name a few).