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For landowners · Surrey

Sell Brownfield Land in Staines

Can I sell brownfield land for housing in Staines?

What a brownfield site in Staines is worth for homes depends less on its size than on what lies underneath and next door. Our free, no-obligation appraisal looks at former uses, likely ground conditions, flood risk, access and any business tenants, then explains whether a direct sale, conditional contract or promotion suits the site.

Aerial view of long rear gardens behind 1930s semi-detached houses backing onto a paddockStaines · TW18

Free 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

Selling land around Staines

About 14 miles north of Guildford, Staines is part of our Surrey coverage, centred on postcode district TW18. Close by, our coverage also takes in Egham, Ashford (Surrey) and Feltham. Staines is part of England’s South East region.

Around Staines we look at former garage blocks and yards, brownfield land in and around Staines and land that already has planning permission. Planning in Staines 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 TW18 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

What we offer in Staines

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.

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.

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.

Demolition and asbestos

Older buildings often contain asbestos, which must be surveyed and removed by licensed specialists where required before demolition. These costs feed into the price, so an early survey supports a firmer offer.

How the rules work in Staines

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Staines are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.

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 Staines
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Land registrationHM Land Registry
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry.

Questions about Sell Brownfield Land in Staines

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.

Will VAT apply when I sell my brownfield site?

It may. If you have opted to tax the land or buildings, VAT can apply to the sale price. Whether the option can be disapplied depends on what the buyer intends to do with the property, and the rules are technical. Ask your accountant before agreeing a price, because it affects what the buyer pays.

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.

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.

Do you work with landowners in Staines?

We do. We work with landowners in Staines and elsewhere in Surrey, including Banstead, Sunbury-on-Thames and Guildford. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Sell Brownfield Land · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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