Land and new homes in Cumbria
Land to Homes is a land and new-homes business covering Cumbria. 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.
CumbriaFree 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 Cumbria
Across Cumbria, we cover Carlisle and 5 other towns, among them Penrith, Whitehaven and Workington. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Lancashire, County Durham and Tyne and Wear.
Typical sites we review near Cumbria include fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, paddocks on the edge of Carlisle and redundant agricultural buildings. Planning in Cumbria follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
If you own land near Cumbria, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Services in Cumbria
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Cumbria
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Cumbria
- Sell Land Without Planning in Cumbria
- Land Option Agreements in Cumbria
- Land Promotion Agreements in Cumbria
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Cumbria
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Cumbria
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Cumbria
- Sell Brownfield Land in Cumbria
- Sell an Infill Plot in Cumbria
- Land Assembly and Access in Cumbria
- Free Site Appraisal in Cumbria
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Cumbria
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Cumbria
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Cumbria
- New Home Construction in Cumbria
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Cumbria
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Cumbria
- New Homes to Rent in Cumbria
- Affordable Housing in Cumbria
- Social Housing in Cumbria
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Cumbria
Funders and partners
Rules that apply in Cumbria
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Cumbria, 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 Cumbria 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.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 Cumbria
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 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.
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.
Is Cumbria an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Cumbria, including Kendal, Barrow-in-Furness and Workington. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.