Land and new homes in Reading
Land to Homes is a land and new-homes business covering Reading. We can buy suitable land directly, fund the planning on promotion and option deals, and deliver homes for sale, rent and affordable housing. Every land enquiry starts with a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Reading · RG1Free 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
Where Reading fits
Reading (RG1) is the hub of our Berkshire coverage, with 10 further towns covered. Close by, our coverage also takes in Lower Earley, Wokingham and Crowthorne. Reading is in the South East region of England.
In and around Reading, the land we appraise ranges from backland plots with a workable access to former garage blocks and yards, including small holdings and pony paddocks. Because Reading is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Reading.
Services in Reading
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Reading
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Reading
- Sell Land Without Planning in Reading
- Land Option Agreements in Reading
- Land Promotion Agreements in Reading
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Reading
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Reading
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Reading
- Sell Brownfield Land in Reading
- Sell an Infill Plot in Reading
- Land Assembly and Access in Reading
- Free Site Appraisal in Reading
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Reading
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Reading
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Reading
- New Home Construction in Reading
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Reading
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Reading
- New Homes to Rent in Reading
- Affordable Housing in Reading
- Social Housing in Reading
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Reading
Funders and partners
Planning in Reading: the English rules
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Reading 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.
Buying a new-build home in Reading follows the usual English process: an offer, conveyancing, exchange of contracts, which makes the purchase binding, and completion. Many buyers arrange a snagging inspection to find defects. New homes are usually covered by a structural warranty, and developers registered under the New Homes Quality Code give buyers access to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. We have no homes on sale yet, so register your interest to hear about future homes.
| 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) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Questions about Land and homes in Reading
What are the New Homes Quality Code and New Homes Ombudsman?
The New Homes Quality Code is a code of practice for developers registered with the New Homes Quality Board, covering how homes are marketed, reserved, sold and handed over, and after-sales care. Buyers of homes from registered developers can usually take unresolved complaints to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. The framework currently covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Who pays for the planning application?
Usually the applicant pays the council fee and the cost of surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and the costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
What is biodiversity net gain?
Biodiversity net gain is a requirement in England for most new developments to leave natural habitat in a measurably better state than before, assessed using a statutory metric. It can be delivered on site, off site or, as a last resort, through statutory credits. It affects how much land a scheme needs. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own biodiversity policies.
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 buy land in Reading?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Reading and elsewhere in Berkshire, including Windsor, Sandhurst and Bracknell. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.