Land and new homes in Harpenden
Land to Homes buys land and partners with landowners in Harpenden, 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.
Harpenden · AL5Free 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
Harpenden at a glance
In Hertfordshire, Harpenden lies about 11 miles north of Watford; its central postcode district is AL5. Close by, our coverage also takes in St Albans, Luton and Hemel Hempstead. Within England, Harpenden falls in the East of England region.
Typical sites we review near Harpenden include small holdings and pony paddocks, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and backland plots with a workable access. Because Harpenden is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near AL5 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Services in Harpenden
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Harpenden
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Harpenden
- Sell Land Without Planning in Harpenden
- Land Option Agreements in Harpenden
- Land Promotion Agreements in Harpenden
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Harpenden
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Harpenden
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Harpenden
- Sell Brownfield Land in Harpenden
- Sell an Infill Plot in Harpenden
- Land Assembly and Access in Harpenden
- Free Site Appraisal in Harpenden
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Harpenden
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Harpenden
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Harpenden
- New Home Construction in Harpenden
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Harpenden
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Harpenden
- New Homes to Rent in Harpenden
- Affordable Housing in Harpenden
- Social Housing in Harpenden
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Harpenden
Funders and partners
Planning and land rules in Harpenden
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Harpenden, 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.
In England, affordable housing on market developments in Harpenden is normally secured through a Section 106 agreement, which sets the number, tenure and transfer of homes to a registered provider. Grant from Homes England can add further homes, and the 2026 to 2036 programme expects at least 60% of funded homes to be Social Rent. Land to Homes can supply land, design and build homes, or deliver completed homes for councils and housing associations.
| 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) |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| 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. |
Common questions in Harpenden
Do you pay my legal fees?
On option and promotion agreements, yes. We pay your reasonable legal fees, and the amount is agreed up front in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor, so there are no surprises later. On a direct purchase, each side normally pays its own legal costs, and we will explain the position before you commit.
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.
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 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 buy land in Harpenden?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Harpenden and elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including Cheshunt, Berkhamsted and Watford. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.