Land and new homes in Chester
Land to Homes buys land and partners with landowners in Chester, then takes suitable sites through planning, design and construction to new homes for sale, for rent and for affordable housing. Landowners start with a free site appraisal; home seekers can register their interest.
Chester · CH1Free 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 Chester
Chester sits about 19 miles south-west of Warrington in Cheshire, in the CH1 postcode district. Nearby, we also cover Ellesmere Port, Garston and Speke, all within 11 miles. Chester is part of England’s North West region. Our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham, is about 59 miles away.
Sites worth a conversation around Chester: paddocks on the edge of Chester, redundant agricultural buildings and large and long rear gardens. As Chester is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you own land near Chester, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Services in Chester
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Chester
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Chester
- Sell Land Without Planning in Chester
- Land Option Agreements in Chester
- Land Promotion Agreements in Chester
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Chester
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Chester
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Chester
- Sell Brownfield Land in Chester
- Sell an Infill Plot in Chester
- Land Assembly and Access in Chester
- Free Site Appraisal in Chester
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Chester
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Chester
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Chester
- New Home Construction in Chester
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Chester
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Chester
- New Homes to Rent in Chester
- Affordable Housing in Chester
- Social Housing in Chester
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Chester
Funders and partners
Planning in Chester: the English rules
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Chester, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.
Councils and housing associations around Chester can bid for grant through Homes England's Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which funds Social Rent, Affordable Rent at up to 80% of market rent, and shared ownership. Landlords of the rented homes must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. National policy also expects local plans to set a minimum Social Rent proportion for major development. Land to Homes is ready to discuss sites, partnership and delivery.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Questions about Land and homes in Chester
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.
What is a land promotion agreement?
Under a promotion agreement, a promoter funds and manages the planning process, then markets the land for sale with the landowner once permission is granted. The proceeds are shared under an agreed formula after the promoter's costs. With Land to Homes there is nothing to pay upfront: planning costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning.
Do you buy land directly?
Yes, on suitable sites. We can buy land directly, with or without planning permission and with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract. Whether a direct purchase suits you depends on the site and on whether you would rather have certainty now or wait for planning to change what the land is worth.
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 Chester?
We do. We work with landowners in Chester and elsewhere in Cheshire, including Wilmslow, Northwich and Great Sankey. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.