Sell a Building for Conversion in Hitchin
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 Hitchin and whether its structure, layout and daylight can produce good homes.
Hitchin · SG4Free 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
Land we look at around Hitchin
Hitchin (SG4) is one of the Hertfordshire towns we cover, about 21 miles north of Watford. The nearest other places we cover are Letchworth Garden City (3 miles), Stevenage (5 miles) and Luton (7 miles). Hitchin is in the East of England region of England.
Typical sites we review near Hitchin include corner plots and side gardens, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and land behind street frontages. Planning in Hitchin 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 SG4 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
What you get in Hitchin
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.
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.
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.
Pubs and chapels
Pubs, chapels and community halls do not usually benefit from these rights and need full planning permission. Councils often ask for evidence that the existing use is no longer viable or needed.
The English system, as it applies in Hitchin
Selling development land in Hitchin 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.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| 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) |
Your questions answered for Hitchin
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.
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.
Will VAT be charged when I sell my commercial building?
It may be, if you have opted to tax it. However, a buyer who intends to convert the building into homes can, in many cases, give you a certificate that disapplies the option to tax. The rules are technical, so ask your accountant before agreeing terms.
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.
Is Hitchin an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Hitchin and elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including Bushey, Hoddesdon and Hatfield. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.
Read more: Sell a Building for Conversion · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained