Sell a Building for Conversion in Littlehampton
An empty pub, chapel or workshop in Littlehampton 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.
Littlehampton · BN17Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
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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 we look at around Littlehampton
Littlehampton (BN17) is one of the West Sussex towns we cover, about 26 miles south-west of Crawley. Close by, our coverage also takes in Bognor Regis, Worthing and Chichester. Littlehampton is part of England’s South East region.
Typical sites we review near Littlehampton include land behind street frontages, paddocks on the edge of Littlehampton and farmland next to the settlement boundary. As Littlehampton 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 Littlehampton and we will explain the routes open to you.
What we offer in Littlehampton
Class Q for barns
In England, Class Q can allow some agricultural buildings to become homes through prior approval, subject to limits and exclusions. The building generally needs to be capable of conversion without amounting to a rebuild.
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 Littlehampton: the English rules
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Littlehampton 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.
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Littlehampton
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.
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.
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 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.
Is Littlehampton an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Littlehampton and elsewhere in West Sussex, including Haywards Heath, Crawley and Chichester. 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: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys