Sell a Building for Conversion in Hertfordshire
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 Hertfordshire and whether its structure, layout and daylight can produce good homes.
HertfordshireFree 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 Hertfordshire
Our Hertfordshire coverage takes in 19 towns and cities, centred on Watford and including Rickmansworth, St Albans and Potters Bar. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Greater London.
Sites worth a conversation around Hertfordshire: brownfield land in and around Watford, land behind street frontages and redundant commercial buildings. As Hertfordshire is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you own land near Hertfordshire, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Our approach in Hertfordshire
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.
Heritage handled carefully
Listed buildings need listed building consent for most changes, and conservation areas add design controls. Historic chapels and barns can still convert well when their character is respected.
Direct purchase of buildings
Where a building suits us, we can buy it ourselves, with or without consent, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract. Any offer is set out in writing.
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.
How the rules work in Hertfordshire
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Hertfordshire 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, 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.
| 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) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| 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. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Sell a Building for Conversion in Hertfordshire: questions
What is an asset of community value?
In England, a community group can ask the council to list a building such as a pub or hall as an asset of community value. If a listed asset is put up for sale, a moratorium can give community groups a chance to bid, but it does not force you to sell to them. Scotland has its own community right to buy.
Can I convert an office to flats without planning permission?
In England, many office buildings can change to homes under Class MA permitted development, which needs prior approval from the council rather than full planning permission. Conditions and exclusions apply, including for listed buildings, some protected areas and places covered by an Article 4 direction. Elsewhere in the UK, a planning application is normally needed.
Can I sell the space above my shop and keep trading below?
Often, yes. Upper floors above shops can be converted separately, subject to planning, a separate entrance and fire separation between the shop and the homes. A sale may involve splitting the title or granting a long lease of the upper parts. Your solicitor will advise on the right structure.
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 you work with landowners in Hertfordshire?
We do. We work with landowners across Hertfordshire, including Borehamwood, North Watford and Bushey. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Sell a Building for Conversion · Guide: Tax when selling land for development