Land On The South East Side of Sandy Lane, Orpington, Kent, BR5

Executive Summary

• Size: Approximately 9 acres of land across two titles.
• Price: £2 million, vendor unconditionally of planning; also available to rent at £100,000/year.
• Location: Sandy Lane, Orpington, BR5 3HY, within Green Belt.
• Former Use: Dry ski slope (believed sui generis); buyer advised to obtain own planning advice.
• Potential Uses: Open storage, light industrial development, nursing/care home, leisure/sports – scope to challenge Green Belt policy under new planning guidelines.

Description

The site comprises approximately 9 acres of predominantly hard-standing areas interspersed with overgrown scrub and maturing trees. Split across two separate titles, the land is currently disused following the closure of the dry ski slope operation. The last known use falls under sui generis classification. Planning advice should be sought independently by any prospective purchaser.
Location

Situated in the Green Belt on Sandy Lane, Orpington (BR5 3HY), the site lies around 1 km north of Orpington town centre. Key locational features include:

• Nearest railway:

• • Orpington Station (~1 km away) provides fast Southeastern and Thameslink services to central London (Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Victoria), plus regional destinations

• Bus connectivity:

• • Local routes including 51, 61, 208, 353, and night bus N199 serve adjacent stops such as Mountview Road and Perry Hall Road

• Road links:

• • A20 dual carriageway lies ~2 miles north, offering direct access to M25 Junction 3 (~5 miles east) and M25 Junction 4 via the A21/A224

• Local amenities:

• • Orpington town centre offers High Street retail, the Walnuts Centre and Nugent Shopping Park, which include supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s), national chains, and a 7-screen cinema
  • Neighbouring leisure amenities feature the Walnuts Leisure Centre (gym, pool, courts) and Orpington Golf Centre on Sandy Lane

Planning

• 2022: Application 22/01340/OUT (outline permission for 40 dwellings) refused due to Green Belt policy constraints.
• 2019: Application 19/03208/OUT (outline permission for 80 dwellings) also refused on similar grounds.
• Policy context: Recent updates to national planning policy may permit a challenge or appeal based on Very Special Circumstances, making Green Belt release a possibility.
• Alternative development: Suitable for non-residential uses such as open storage, light industrial units, a nursing/care home, or a leisure/sports facility.
• Buyer caveat: Last recorded planning use is a dry ski slope (likely sui generis). Purchasers should seek their own confirmation on existing use rights and planning classification.