Land and new homes in Durham
Land to Homes buys land and partners with landowners in Durham, 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.
Durham · DH1Free 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
Land and homes around Durham
Durham sits about 17 miles north of Darlington in County Durham, in the DH1 postcode district. If your land sits between towns, Chester-le-Street, Houghton-le-Spring and Stanley are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Durham falls in the North East region.
Sites worth a conversation around Durham: redundant agricultural buildings, farmland next to the settlement boundary and infill gaps along existing streets. Because Durham is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Tell us where your land is around Durham and we will explain the routes open to you.
Services in Durham
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Durham
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Durham
- Sell Land Without Planning in Durham
- Land Option Agreements in Durham
- Land Promotion Agreements in Durham
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Durham
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Durham
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Durham
- Sell Brownfield Land in Durham
- Sell an Infill Plot in Durham
- Land Assembly and Access in Durham
- Free Site Appraisal in Durham
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Durham
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Durham
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Durham
- New Home Construction in Durham
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Durham
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Durham
- New Homes to Rent in Durham
- Affordable Housing in Durham
- Social Housing in Durham
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Durham
Funders and partners
How the rules work in Durham
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Durham 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.
Councils and housing associations around Durham 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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. |
Land and homes in Durham: questions
What is an option agreement?
An option agreement gives a developer the right, but not the obligation, to buy land within an agreed period, usually once planning permission is granted. The landowner normally receives an option fee, and the purchase price is worked out under an agreed formula. On option agreements with Land to Homes, we pay your reasonable legal fees, agreed up front in the heads of terms.
How do I register interest in a new home?
Tell us your contact details, preferred areas, the type and size of home, whether you want to buy or rent, and your timing. Registering is free, it is not a reservation or an application, and you can ask us to remove your details at any time. We use it to contact you and to understand what people need.
What should I check before reserving any new-build home?
Check the specification, the tenure and any lease terms, estate or service charges for unadopted roads and open space, the warranty provider, the reservation terms and whether the developer is registered with the New Homes Quality Board. Instruct your own solicitor early, visit the site if you can and ask for everything important in writing.
What are heads of terms?
Heads of terms are a short written summary of the main points of a deal, such as the price or price formula, the length of an option or promotion, who pays which costs and any conditions. They are not usually legally binding, but they guide the solicitors who draft the contract. We set out your legal fee cover in them.
Do you work with landowners in Durham?
We do. We work with landowners in Durham and elsewhere in County Durham, including Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street and Stanley. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.