Buying one plot for a home is one decision. Buying ten plots, or ten acres, for a school, a warehouse or an estate is a project. This guide covers what large land buyers should work out before they pay, whatever the land is for.
Start with what the land is for
The use decides almost everything else: the size, the location, the approvals and the price you should expect to pay.
| Use | What usually matters most |
|---|---|
| Residential estate or rentals | Road access, water and power, demand from buyers or tenants nearby |
| School or college | Enough room for classrooms, playing fields and growth; safe access for pupils; distance from noise and heavy traffic |
| Warehouse, yard or logistics | Direct access for trucks, closeness to a highway, firm and level ground |
| Factory or light industry | Land zoned for industry, power capacity, water and waste disposal |
| Commercial: shops, offices, hotel, hospital | Visibility, footfall, parking, and a growing town around it |
| Church or institution | A central location for members, parking, room for future buildings |
| Farming | Soil, rainfall or water for irrigation, and road access to markets |
| Land banking or investment | Where the town is growing next, and how easily the land can be resold in parts |
Write down the use, the size you need now and the size you may need in ten years. A school that starts with 2 acres often wants 5 later; buying the adjoining land now is usually easier than buying it later.
Work out the size
Land in Kenya is sold in plots and in acres. A standard 50 x 100 ft plot is 5,000 square feet, so an acre (43,560 square feet) holds a little under 9 such plots before roads and open space. When you compare offers, ask how much of the block is usable once access roads and setbacks are taken out.
Check the land can be used the way you plan
Owning land does not on its own give you the right to build anything on it. Three approvals matter most for large buyers.
Development permission from the county. Building, subdividing, joining plots together (amalgamation) and changing what land is used for (change of user) all need development permission from the county government under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019. The detailed procedure is in the General Development Permission and Control Regulations, 2021. If you plan a factory or warehouse on land currently used for farming or housing, ask the county planning office early whether a change of user is likely to be approved.
An environmental licence from NEMA. Many larger projects need an Environmental Impact Assessment licence before work starts, under section 58 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (Oraro & Company). The projects that need one are listed in the Act’s Second Schedule, and they can include schools (National Environment Tribunal, 2024). Other licensing authorities should not issue their licences without it.
Land Control Board consent for agricultural land. A sale or lease of agricultural land in a land control area is void unless the local Land Control Board consents, under section 6 of the Land Control Act.
Your advocate and a registered physical planner can confirm which of these apply to a specific block.
If the buyer is a company or a foreign investor
- Companies buy in the company’s name. Your advocate will ask for the company’s registration documents and a board resolution approving the purchase.
- Non-citizens, and companies not wholly owned by Kenyan citizens, can hold land only on leasehold of up to 99 years, under Article 65 of the Constitution. Agree the tenure before you agree the price.
Do the usual checks, at a larger scale
Everything in what to check before you choose a plot and documents you should get when you buy land still applies, for every title in the block:
- an official search on each title;
- the survey map, with beacons you have seen on the ground;
- the sale agreement listing every plot or parcel number;
- for adjoining plots, confirmation that they really do adjoin, so you can apply to join them later.
Think about payment and transfer
Bulk purchases are usually paid in stages. Agree in writing which plots transfer to you at each stage, so that what you have paid for is always in your name. Budget for stamp duty, legal fees and, where needed, approval and survey costs on top of the price.
Buying in bulk from Ameristar
We sell larger blocks and groups of plots in our projects to developers, schools, industry, institutions and investors. Every project is owned by Ameristar, with ready titles secured through extensive due diligence.
Tell us the use, the size and the area you prefer, and we will send the wholesale catalogue. Request the wholesale catalogue or WhatsApp us on 0111 279 703.