Land and new homes in Braintree
Land to Homes buys land and partners with landowners in Braintree, 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.
Braintree · CM7Free 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 Braintree
Braintree (CM7) is one of the Essex towns we cover, about 25 miles north of Southend-on-Sea. Close by, our coverage also takes in Witham, Chelmsford and Maldon. Within England, Braintree falls in the East of England region.
In and around Braintree, the land we appraise ranges from small holdings and pony paddocks to fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, including large and long rear gardens. As Braintree is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near CM7 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Services in Braintree
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Braintree
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Braintree
- Sell Land Without Planning in Braintree
- Land Option Agreements in Braintree
- Land Promotion Agreements in Braintree
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Braintree
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Braintree
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Braintree
- Sell Brownfield Land in Braintree
- Sell an Infill Plot in Braintree
- Land Assembly and Access in Braintree
- Free Site Appraisal in Braintree
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Braintree
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Braintree
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Braintree
- New Home Construction in Braintree
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Braintree
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Braintree
- New Homes to Rent in Braintree
- Affordable Housing in Braintree
- Social Housing in Braintree
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Braintree
Funders and partners
Planning in Braintree: the English rules
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Braintree may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
Affordable homes in Braintree are usually funded through a mix of Section 106 contributions from market schemes and grant from Homes England's Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036, or from the Greater London Authority in London. Registered providers, regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing, own and manage most of them. Land to Homes can bring forward land and build homes for councils and housing associations, including homes for Social Rent.
| 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 |
| 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. |
Your questions answered for Braintree
What is a local development plan and why does it matter?
The development plan sets out where new homes and other development should go, and it is the starting point for planning decisions. In England it is usually called the Local Plan; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have Local Development Plans. Land allocated for housing, or next to a settlement where policy supports growth, usually has stronger prospects.
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.
What kinds of land do you look at?
Fields and paddocks next to towns and villages, large gardens and backland, infill plots, brownfield and former commercial sites, farmland, and buildings that could convert to homes. Sites need realistic access and planning prospects. If land is too small or too constrained for us, we will say so plainly rather than leave you waiting for an answer.
Is the site appraisal really free?
Yes. Our site appraisal is free and carries no obligation. It covers access, planning policy, likely constraints and an indicative number of homes, and we talk you through the routes open to you. You do not have to agree to anything afterwards, and we will tell you plainly if the land is not suitable for us.
Is Braintree an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Braintree and elsewhere in Essex, including Harwich, Brentwood and Basildon. 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.