Thinking about diversification is one thing. Facing farm diversification planning permission is another.
For many farm owners and land agents, planning is the point where good ideas stall. Rules, forms, consultants’ fees, local politics – and the nagging fear that you’ll spend money and end up with a refusal.
This guide is for you if you’re asking:
- “What are my real options with planning?”
- “How do I avoid wasting money on the wrong scheme?”
- “Who can actually help me get consent and unlock more value?”
Short answer: you don’t have to guess. Intelligent Land helps you plan diversification and planning gain properly, not on the back of an envelope. For a free consultation, get in touch today.
What Is Farm Diversification Planning Permission?
Most farm diversification ideas eventually bump into one question:
“Do I need planning permission – and will I get it?”
Farm diversification planning permission is simply the process of securing consent (or using permitted development rights) to change how your land and buildings are used. That might include:
- Converting barns to homes or commercial units
- Creating a small rural business hub or farm shop
- Bringing forward land for housing or mixed-use
- Using land for solar, storage or other infrastructure
- Creating habitats for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
Some changes are allowed under permitted development rights; others need a full application. All of them sit within a specific local and national planning context.
- On your side of the fence, it’s about family security and income.
- On the planners’ side, it’s about policy, precedent and impact.
Bridging that gap – and turning ideas into permissions that actually add value – is where Intelligent Land comes in.
Want the bigger picture first? Read our companion article: Farm Diversification Ideas for a deeper dive into opportunities and value.
The Real Farm Diversification Planning Challenges
If you’re hesitating on a diversification idea, you’re probably not short of imagination. You’re short of certainty.
Common challenges we hear from farmers and agents:
1. “I don’t know what’s realistic here.”
You might have heard about barn conversions, BNG, solar or “grey belt” changes on the radio or from neighbours. But your land has its own constraints: access, landscape, flood risk, designations, local politics. What worked three miles away may be impossible on your holding – and vice versa.
2. “I can’t afford a long, expensive planning gamble.”
Architects, drawings, surveys and planning fees add up quickly. Many farmers feel they’re being asked to spend thousands before they know if there’s even a realistic chance of success, let alone how much value could be created.
3. “I don’t want to close off future options.”
A BNG scheme might bring income but tie up land for 30 years. A yard redevelopment could limit future expansion. Once you sign certain agreements, you can’t easily rewind.
4. “The rules keep changing.”
Permitted development rights, BNG, local plans, national politics – all of it moves. It’s easy to say, “we’ll just wait and see”, but doing nothing for five or ten years can be the most expensive decision of all.
All of these are rational worries. The solution is not to become a planning expert overnight. It’s to use a system that can:
- Map out what’s realistically possible on your land
- Compare different options side by side
- Show likely value uplift and risk before big cheques are written
That’s exactly what Intelligent Land’s Land Value Accelerator™ (LVA Method™) was built for.
How Intelligent Land Helps: From Idea to Planning Gain
Intelligent Land combines proprietary AI with 30 years of planning expertise to give you a faster, clearer route through farm diversification planning permission.
We call it the Land Value Accelerator™ (LVA Method™):
- Land Value Accelerator™ – Unlocking Hidden Millions.
- Black-Box Insights, White-Glove Results.
Step 1 – Review Planning Position and Policy
Before anyone draws a line on a plan, we review:
- Existing permissions and conditions on your farm
- Past refusals on or near your land
- Local plan status and housing / employment land pressures
- Constraints such as flood risk, heritage, landscape, Green Belt
- How national policy is playing out in your area
The aim: cut through hearsay and understand the real planning backdrop for your land.
Step 2 – Undertake Technical and Market Research
Next, we layer in the nuts and bolts:
- Access, highways and utilities
- Ecology, BNG and wider ESG factors
- Local demand for housing, workspace, tourism or storage
- Overlaps between potential development and habitat creation
Here, our AI engine does the heavy lifting, scanning large volumes of data. Our planners then sense-check and interpret it in plain English.
You end up with a grounded view of:
- Which parts of your holding are most “alive” in planning terms
- Where the biggest value uplifts might sit
- Where you’re likely to hit a brick wall
Step 3 – Scenario Testing: From “Do Nothing” to “Unlock Hidden Millions”
Finally, we test scenarios:
- Do nothing: what if you simply carry on as is?
- Light diversification: barn conversions, yard uses, modest schemes.
- Full planning-led strategy: a combination of development, BNG, energy or commercial use.
For each scenario we compare potential:
- Planning route and risk
- Timescales and likely costs
- Impact on capital value and income
In many cases, we can identify headline opportunities – including potential £1m+ value uplifts – within 24 hours of receiving the right site information.
And sometimes, the answer is: “Don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk.” That’s just as valuable.
If you’re weighing up a diversification idea and don’t want to gamble, request a free Farm Diversification Viability Snapshot from Intelligent Land. You’ll get a high-level view of planning potential and value without committing to a full application.
When Should You Speak to Intelligent Land?
Most farm owners and agents come to us at one of three moments:
- Before spending money on drawings and applications: You have an idea, maybe even a sketch, but you want to know if it’s worth taking further – and if there might be better options you haven’t considered.
- When a third party makes an approach: A solar developer, promoter, housebuilder or BNG broker is keen on your land. You want to understand if their proposal is good, bad, or missing half the potential.
- When the family is thinking about succession or retirement: You’re looking ten to twenty years ahead and wondering how best to protect the family inheritance, without locking everything into one irreversible move.
In all of these cases, the goal is the same: clarity before commitment.
Book a free Land Value Discovery consultation with Intelligent Land. We’ll talk through your farm, your ideas and your concerns, and explain how the Land Value Accelerator™ could be applied to your specific situation.
Your Next Step
Farm diversification planning permissions don’t have to be a maze. With the right data and guidance, it becomes another tool to farm smarter, not harder.
If you take nothing else from this guide, let it be this:
- You do not have to guess what planners will think.
- You do not have to risk thousands just to find out if something is viable.
- You can compare multiple diversification and development routes, side by side, before you commit.
To explore what that looks like on your land:
- Read the full guide: Farm Diversification Ideas
- Then request your free Farm Diversification Viability Snapshot and Land Value Discovery consultation with Intelligent Land.
Your next harvest doesn’t have to come from the field.
It could come from planning permission gains.
