Land and new homes in Luton
In Luton, Land to Homes works with landowners who want to sell, option or promote land for housing, and with councils and housing associations on affordable homes. We manage planning and building on the sites we take forward, and people looking for a home can register their interest.
Luton · LU1Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Our coverage in Luton
Luton is the main town we cover in Bedfordshire, centred on postcode district LU1. Nearby, we also cover Dunstable, Harpenden and Hitchin, all within 7 miles. Luton is part of England’s East of England region.
Around Luton we look at land behind street frontages, brownfield land in and around Luton and infill gaps along existing streets. Planning in Luton follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Send us a postcode in or near LU1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Services in Luton
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Luton
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Luton
- Sell Land Without Planning in Luton
- Land Option Agreements in Luton
- Land Promotion Agreements in Luton
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Luton
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Luton
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Luton
- Sell Brownfield Land in Luton
- Sell an Infill Plot in Luton
- Land Assembly and Access in Luton
- Free Site Appraisal in Luton
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Luton
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Luton
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Luton
- New Home Construction in Luton
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Luton
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Luton
- New Homes to Rent in Luton
- Affordable Housing in Luton
- Social Housing in Luton
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Luton
Funders and partners
Planning and land rules in Luton
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Luton are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Luton is normally secured through a Section 106 agreement, which sets the number, tenure and transfer of homes to a registered provider. Grant from Homes England can add further homes, and the 2026 to 2036 programme expects at least 60% of funded homes to be Social Rent. Land to Homes can supply land, design and build homes, or deliver completed homes for councils and housing associations.
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Common questions in Luton
What is planning permission?
Planning permission is consent from the planning authority to carry out development, such as building new homes or changing the use of land. Applications are judged against the local development plan and national policy, which differ in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Permission can be full, or outline, which is called planning permission in principle in Scotland.
Will I have to pay anything upfront?
Not on a promotion agreement. We fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. You will still need your own solicitor, but on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
Do you have any new homes for sale or rent?
Not yet. Land to Homes is a new venture and has no homes, plots or developments for sale or rent at the moment. You can register interest with the area and type of home you want, and we will contact you if we bring forward homes that match. We do not take reservations, fees or deposits at this stage.
Can Green Belt land be developed?
Green Belt is land around certain towns and cities where policy keeps land open, so new homes are normally resisted unless a local plan releases the land or there are very special circumstances. In England, recent policy changes introduced grey belt land, which can be more acceptable for development in some cases. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own green belt policies.
Do you work with landowners in Luton?
We do. We work with landowners in Luton and elsewhere in Bedfordshire, including Bedford, Leighton Buzzard and Ampthill. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.