Sell Brownfield Land in Hereford

Land we look at around Hereford

Hereford (HR1) anchors our coverage of Herefordshire, which takes in 3 other places. The nearest other places we cover are Ross-on-Wye (11 miles), Leominster (12 miles) and Ledbury (12 miles). Hereford is part of England’s West Midlands region. Our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham, is about 48 miles away.

Typical sites we review near Hereford include brownfield land in and around Hereford, land that already has planning permission and small holdings and pony paddocks. In England, where Hereford sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

Tell us where your land is around Hereford and we will explain the routes open to you.

Our approach in Hereford

Loss of employment land

Councils may resist losing business land to housing. Policies vary, so we check whether marketing evidence or a viability case is likely to be needed before any application is made.

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.

Direct purchase of brownfield sites

Where a brownfield site suits us, we can buy it ourselves, with or without planning and with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.

Flood risk and drainage

Some brownfield sites sit in flood zones or rely on old drainage. Flood policy may require a sequential test, showing that no suitable sites at lower risk are reasonably available.

Planning in Hereford: 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 Hereford 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.

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 Hereford
Local planning document	Local Plan
In-principle consent	Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)	Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Developer contributions	Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Sell Brownfield Land in Hereford: questions

Do I need a contamination report before selling?

Not necessarily, but it helps. A desk study of past uses is relatively inexpensive and gives buyers confidence. If you hold older reports, share them. Buyers will usually carry out their own investigations anyway, both as part of their due diligence and because planning conditions often require them.

What is a garage block worth for development?

It depends on how many homes the plot could take once the garages are cleared, how the garages are currently used, the width of the access and whether any are let. Some garage sites suit a small group of homes or bungalows. We cannot give a value without seeing the site, but our appraisal explains the factors.

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.

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.

Do you buy land in Hereford?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Hereford and elsewhere in Herefordshire, including Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.