Sell Brownfield Land in Durham

Land and sites near Durham

We cover Durham as part of County Durham. It is about 17 miles north of Darlington, around postcode district DH1. If your land sits between towns, Chester-le-Street, Houghton-le-Spring and Stanley are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Durham falls in the North East region.

Around Durham we look at brownfield land in and around Durham, former garage blocks and yards and paddocks on the edge of Durham. Planning in Durham follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.

Send us a postcode in or near DH1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

How we work in Durham

VAT on commercial sites

If you have opted to tax the property, VAT may be chargeable on the sale, which affects what a buyer pays. Your accountant should confirm the position before a price is agreed.

Tenants and leases

If business tenants remain, their lease terms and any statutory protection affect when the site can be cleared. We review the leases before agreeing timing with you.

Neighbouring uses considered

New homes next to workshops, busy roads or late-night venues need protection from noise and smells. In England and Wales, the agent of change principle can put the cost of mitigation on the new development.

Contamination assessed in stages

Ground investigation is usually staged: a desk study of past uses, intrusive sampling if needed, then a remediation strategy and verification. Existing reports save time and cost, so share any you hold.

Rules that apply in Durham

Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Durham, 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, councils keep brownfield land registers, and sites on Part 2 of a register can be granted Permission in Principle. The NPPF gives substantial weight to using suitable brownfield land for homes. Contamination is normally handled through planning conditions, following the Environment Agency's land contamination risk management guidance, with Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as a backstop.

Key rules in Durham
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)

Common questions in Durham

Is it easier to get planning permission on brownfield land?

Usually it has stronger policy support than greenfield land, because national policy in each UK nation encourages the reuse of previously developed land. Permission is still not automatic: loss of employment land, heritage, flood risk, neighbours and design all matter, and a site in an area protected for business use may still struggle.

What is a sequential test for flood risk?

It is a planning test that steers new development to areas at the lowest risk of flooding. If a site is in a higher-risk area, the applicant may need to show there are no reasonably available sites at lower risk. England applies it through the NPPF; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own flood policies.

Can I sell a commercial site that still has tenants?

Yes. Many sites sell with tenants in place, and the buyer manages the leases coming to an end. Business tenants can have statutory rights to stay in some cases, so the lease terms and any notices matter. We review the leases and agree timing that works for you and, where possible, for the tenants.

Who pays for contamination clean-up when I sell?

It is negotiated. Usually the buyer allows for remediation in the price it offers, so the cost is reflected in the land value. Contract terms can also deal with environmental liabilities after the sale. Where contamination is serious, environmental law can in some cases leave liability with whoever caused it, so take legal advice.

Do you work with landowners in Durham?

We do. We work with landowners in Durham and elsewhere in County Durham, including Darlington, Newton Aycliffe and Consett. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.