Sell a Building for Conversion in Horsham
An empty pub, chapel or workshop in Horsham may be worth more as homes than in its last use, but conversions are rarely simple. Land to Homes looks at the planning route, heritage status, structure, services and any community interest in the building, then offers a direct purchase, subject to survey, title and contract, or another route.
Horsham · RH12Free 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 Horsham
Horsham sits about 7 miles south-west of Crawley in West Sussex, in the RH12 postcode district. Crawley is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 7 miles, followed by Horley and Haywards Heath. Horsham is in the South East region of England.
Sites worth a conversation around Horsham: redundant agricultural buildings, former garage blocks and yards and corner plots and side gardens. Planning in Horsham follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Horsham.
What we offer in Horsham
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.
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.
The English system, as it applies in Horsham
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Horsham 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 |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| 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 |
Common questions in Horsham
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.
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 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.
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 buy land in Horsham?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Horsham and elsewhere in West Sussex, including Worthing, Haywards Heath and East Grinstead. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell a Building for Conversion · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys