Land and new homes in Harlow
In Harlow, Land to Homes works with landowners who want to sell, option or promote land for housing, and with councils and housing associations on affordable homes. We manage planning and building on the sites we take forward, and people looking for a home can register their interest.
Harlow · CM17Free 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 Harlow
Harlow (CM17) is one of the Essex towns we cover, about 31 miles north-west of Southend-on-Sea. If your land sits between towns, Hoddesdon, Bishops Stortford and Waltham Abbey are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Harlow is in the East of England region of England.
Typical sites we review near Harlow include infill gaps along existing streets, brownfield land in and around Harlow and land that already has planning permission. Because Harlow is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you own land near Harlow, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Services in Harlow
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Harlow
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Harlow
- Sell Land Without Planning in Harlow
- Land Option Agreements in Harlow
- Land Promotion Agreements in Harlow
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Harlow
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Harlow
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Harlow
- Sell Brownfield Land in Harlow
- Sell an Infill Plot in Harlow
- Land Assembly and Access in Harlow
- Free Site Appraisal in Harlow
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Harlow
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Harlow
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Harlow
- New Home Construction in Harlow
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Harlow
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Harlow
- New Homes to Rent in Harlow
- Affordable Housing in Harlow
- Social Housing in Harlow
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Harlow
Funders and partners
Planning in Harlow: 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 Harlow 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 Harlow 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.
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Land and homes in Harlow: questions
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.
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.
How do I sell land for development?
Start with an appraisal of what the land could take and the routes open to you: a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement. Then take independent advice from a solicitor and, ideally, a land agent before agreeing heads of terms. Land to Homes offers a free, no-obligation site appraisal and explains each route in writing.
Do I need my own solicitor to sell land?
Yes. Every landowner should have their own solicitor on a land sale or agreement, and many also use a land agent or chartered surveyor. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms before you instruct anyone.
Do you work with landowners in Harlow?
We do. We work with landowners in Harlow and elsewhere in Essex, including Canvey Island, Waltham Abbey and Rayleigh. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.