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For landowners · England

Free Site Appraisal in Cumbria

How do I get a free site appraisal in Cumbria?

Think of a free site appraisal in Cumbria as the first honest conversation about your land. It will not set a price or promise planning permission. It will tell you which constraints matter, whether access works, what the planning policy says, and which kind of deal, if any, makes sense to pursue.

Landowner and surveyor at a wooden field gate looking over a paddock behind town gardensCumbria

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

Selling land around Cumbria

We cover 6 places across Cumbria: Carlisle is the main one, alongside Whitehaven, Barrow-in-Furness and Penrith. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Lancashire, County Durham and Tyne and Wear.

Sites worth a conversation around Cumbria: former garage blocks and yards, small holdings and pony paddocks and corner plots and side gardens. As Cumbria is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Cumbria.

Why work with Land to Homes in Cumbria

Indicative scheme

Where prospects look reasonable, we outline what might fit as a broad indication rather than a design, so you can understand the likely scale and form of development.

Routes explained

We set out which deals could suit your land, from direct purchase and conditional contracts to options, promotion agreements and joint ventures, with the trade-offs of each.

Access and highways

We look at road frontage, the likely junction position and visibility, and whether the adopted highway actually reaches your land or stops short of it.

Planning policy reviewed

We read the adopted development plan, its policies map and any emerging plan, and note how your land is treated: within a settlement boundary, allocated, protected or open countryside.

Planning in Cumbria: the English rules

If your land near Cumbria lies in the Green Belt, national policy still protects it, but England's planning framework now recognises grey belt: Green Belt land that is previously developed or does not strongly contribute to certain Green Belt purposes. Where there is evidenced unmet need and the location is sustainable, grey belt housing can be acceptable, with major schemes meeting the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure and green space. Planning is never guaranteed, so we check policy, access and constraints first.

In England, we check the Local Plan and policies map, the Environment Agency's flood map for planning, Green Belt boundaries, designations shown on Defra's MAGIC map, and whether the site appears on the council's brownfield land register. Title comes from HM Land Registry. We also consider whether biodiversity net gain would apply to the likely scheme.

Key rules in Cumbria
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
How a sale becomes bindingA 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 contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Free Site Appraisal in Cumbria: questions

Will you need to visit my land?

Often, if the desktop review shows realistic potential. We will arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain what we want to look at, such as the access point, boundaries and ground conditions. Many sites can be ruled in or out without a visit.

Will you contact my neighbours or the council?

Not without your agreement. We use what you share to assess your land and discuss it with you. Our desktop review relies on published records and mapping. If talking to a neighbour or the council would help, we will ask you first and explain why.

What does a free site appraisal include?

It covers local planning policy, constraints such as flood risk and heritage, access to the road, title issues, services, and an indication of the kind of scheme that might fit. It ends with a view on the realistic routes for your land. It is not a formal valuation, and it is not legal advice.

Can I ask for an appraisal on land I am selling for someone else?

Yes, if you are acting for the owner, for example as an executor, trustee, attorney or land agent. We will need to understand your authority before discussing terms. If you are a buyer looking at land, a planning consultant or surveyor can advise you independently.

Is Cumbria an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land across Cumbria, including Whitehaven, Carlisle and Workington. 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: Free Site Appraisal · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know

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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