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For landowners · Berkshire

Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Slough

Can I sell a paddock or farmland for housing in Slough?

A paddock in Slough used for grazing or horses can be worth far more as housing land, but only if planning is realistic. Land to Homes looks at the settlement boundary, access from the road, flood risk and the development plan, then tells you which route gives you the clearest outcome for that field.

Grass field bordered by a hedgerow, with the backs of a housing estate along one sideSlough · SL1

Free 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

Our coverage in Slough

Slough sits about 17 miles east of Reading in Berkshire, in the SL1 postcode district. Close by, our coverage also takes in Windsor, Maidenhead and Gerrards Cross. Slough is in the South East region of England.

In and around Slough, the land we appraise ranges from redundant agricultural buildings to farmland next to the settlement boundary, including former garage blocks and yards. In England, where Slough sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

Tell us where your land is around Slough and we will explain the routes open to you.

What you get in Slough

Land quality and flood risk

Planning policy tends to protect higher-grade farmland, and flood zones can rule land out entirely. We check agricultural land quality mapping and flood maps early, before any detailed discussion of terms.

Access kept to retained fields

Deals can reserve access rights, service connections and drainage routes for the rest of your holding, so a new scheme does not cut off fields or buildings you keep.

Keep farming meanwhile

Under an option or promotion agreement, you normally stay in possession and keep farming or grazing until the land is sold, subject to access for surveys and agreed notice periods.

Fees covered on options

On option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms, so specialist rural legal advice is within reach.

The English system, as it applies in Slough

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Slough 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, the NPPF asks councils to take account of the value of higher-quality farmland, and Local Plans set settlement boundaries. Agricultural tenancies may fall under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 or be farm business tenancies, each with its own rules. Land in Environmental Land Management or Countryside Stewardship agreements needs checking before it is taken out.

Key rules in Slough
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Questions about Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Slough

How long does it take to get planning on farmland?

There is no set timescale. A field allocated in a development plan can move to an application relatively directly, while unallocated land may need to wait for the next plan review. That is why options and promotion agreements on farmland usually run over a defined term with a longstop date.

Can I sell a paddock for housing?

Often, if it sits within or next to a settlement and has safe road access. Paddocks behind existing homes are common development sites. Those in open countryside, or with poor access, rarely get permission. We check the development plan and site constraints before suggesting any route or deal structure.

How do I keep access to the rest of my farm?

Through rights reserved in the agreement and the eventual transfer. These can include a right of way through the new estate road, service connections and drainage routes for retained land. Plan them early, because once a layout is approved it is much harder to add access later.

What happens to my tenant farmer if I sell for development?

It depends on the tenancy. Some older agricultural tenancies give tenants strong security, while newer tenancies and grazing licences are usually more flexible. Planning permission for a non-agricultural use can sometimes support ending a tenancy, but the rules are technical and specialist advice is essential. We factor the tenancy into any deal.

Is Slough an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Slough and elsewhere in Berkshire, including Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell. 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 Farmland and Paddocks · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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