Sell a Building for Conversion in London
In England, some offices, shops and barns can become homes through permitted development with prior approval rather than a full planning application. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. Land to Homes checks which route applies to your building in London and whether its structure, layout and daylight can produce good homes.
London · EC1AFree site appraisal
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- 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
Land and sites near London
Our Greater London coverage is centred on London, postcode district EC1A, and reaches 81 other places. If your land sits between towns, City of Westminster, Pimlico and Islington are the closest neighbouring places on our list.
Sites worth a conversation around London: corner plots and side gardens, large and long rear gardens and redundant commercial buildings. As London is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Tell us where your land is around London and we will explain the routes open to you.
What you get in London
Light, depth and layout
Deep office floors and small windows can make poor homes. Habitable rooms need adequate natural light, so we test whether the building can provide good layouts before making an offer.
Class MA in England
In England, Class MA allows many buildings in commercial, business and service use to become homes through prior approval, covering matters such as transport, flooding, noise and natural light. Councils can remove it locally through Article 4 directions.
Planning route identified
We check whether permitted development with prior approval could apply, or whether a full application, and possibly listed building consent, is needed. The route shapes cost, risk and value.
Building regulations apply
Changing a building to homes brings in building regulations or, in Scotland, a building warrant, covering fire safety, sound insulation, energy efficiency and escape routes. These often drive conversion costs.
Planning in London: the English rules
Selling development land in London usually starts with heads of terms, a short written summary of price, conditions and fees, before solicitors draft the contract. In England the sale becomes binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title then registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer normally pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
In England, Class MA allows many buildings in commercial, business and service use to convert to homes through prior approval, and Class Q covers some agricultural buildings. These rights are England-only, carry conditions and exclusions, and can be removed locally by Article 4 directions. New homes must meet national space standards, and pubs need full planning permission.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| 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. |
Questions about Sell a Building for Conversion in London
What makes a building suitable for conversion to homes?
Good natural light, a sensible floor depth, adequate ceiling heights, a sound structure, room for bin and bike stores, and a location where people want to live. Buildings that need major structural work, or whose windows cannot light every habitable room, are harder and more expensive to convert.
Do pubs need planning permission to convert to homes?
Yes, in most cases. In England, pubs no longer have permitted development rights to change to housing, so a full planning application is needed, and councils usually look for evidence that the pub is no longer viable. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also normally require full planning permission.
Can a chapel or church be converted into homes?
Often, yes, with full planning permission, and listed building consent if it is listed. A buyer will check the title for covenants imposed by the original religious body, any burial ground, and access. Many chapels convert well because of their volume and tall windows, but parking and neighbours need care.
What is Class Q permitted development?
Class Q is an England-only right that can allow agricultural buildings to become homes through prior approval, subject to limits on numbers and floor space and exclusions for listed buildings and some protected areas. The building must be suitable for conversion rather than needing substantial rebuilding. Scotland has a separate, narrower right of its own.
Do you work with landowners in London?
We do. We work with landowners in London and elsewhere in Greater London, including Chelsea, Barnet and Streatham. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
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