Land and new homes in Bolton
In Bolton, 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.
Bolton · BL1Free 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
Bolton at a glance
Bolton sits about 11 miles north-west of Manchester in Greater Manchester, in the BL1 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Farnworth (3 miles), Westhoughton (4 miles) and Radcliffe (5 miles). Bolton is in the North West region of England.
Typical sites we review near Bolton include paddocks on the edge of Bolton, land that already has planning permission and redundant agricultural buildings. In England, where Bolton sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Bolton.
Services in Bolton
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Bolton
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Bolton
- Sell Land Without Planning in Bolton
- Land Option Agreements in Bolton
- Land Promotion Agreements in Bolton
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Bolton
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Bolton
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Bolton
- Sell Brownfield Land in Bolton
- Sell an Infill Plot in Bolton
- Land Assembly and Access in Bolton
- Free Site Appraisal in Bolton
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Bolton
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Bolton
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Bolton
- New Home Construction in Bolton
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Bolton
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Bolton
- New Homes to Rent in Bolton
- Affordable Housing in Bolton
- Social Housing in Bolton
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Bolton
Funders and partners
The English system, as it applies in Bolton
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Bolton, 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.
Affordable homes in Bolton 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 |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
Land and homes in Bolton: questions
What are the New Homes Quality Code and New Homes Ombudsman?
The New Homes Quality Code is a code of practice for developers registered with the New Homes Quality Board, covering how homes are marketed, reserved, sold and handed over, and after-sales care. Buyers of homes from registered developers can usually take unresolved complaints to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. The framework currently covers England, Scotland and Wales.
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.
Who decides who gets an affordable or social home?
Councils and housing associations, not developers. They set eligibility, usually based on income, housing need and sometimes a local connection, and allocate homes through their own lists or sales processes. In Northern Ireland, social homes are allocated through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's common waiting list. Land to Homes does not allocate homes.
How is the price of development land worked out?
Development land is usually valued by working back from what the finished homes would be worth, then deducting build costs, infrastructure, planning obligations such as affordable housing, fees, finance and a developer's margin. This is called a residual valuation. We do not quote land values online; our free appraisal explains the factors that affect your site.
Do you work with landowners in Bolton?
We do. We work with landowners in Bolton and elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including Leigh, Salford and Tyldesley. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.