Free Site Appraisal in Formby
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in Formby has realistic potential for new homes. Our free appraisal starts with a desktop review of official planning documents, maps and title records, and may lead to a site visit. You get a plain-English view on prospects, risks and next steps.
Formby · L37Free 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 Formby
We cover Formby as part of Merseyside. It is about 11 miles north of Liverpool, around postcode district L37. The nearest other places we cover are Maghull (6 miles), Southport (7 miles) and Bootle (7 miles). Formby is in the North West region of England.
Sites worth a conversation around Formby: brownfield land in and around Formby, corner plots and side gardens and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. Planning in Formby 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 Formby.
What you get in Formby
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.
No obligation, no cost
The appraisal is free and there is no obligation to go any further. If your land is unlikely to suit new homes, we will tell you plainly and explain why.
Title and boundaries
We read the title register and plan for covenants, rights of way and easements that could affect development, and flag anything your solicitor should look at more closely.
Planning in Formby: the English rules
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Formby may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
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.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Common questions in Formby
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.
What information do I need to provide for a site appraisal?
A postcode or rough boundary is enough to start. It helps to add the title number if you know it, the current use, any planning history, any tenancies, and known issues such as drainage or access disputes. Photos and existing reports are useful but not essential.
Does a site appraisal mean I will get planning permission?
No. Nobody can promise planning permission, because the decision rests with the planning authority, or on appeal. The appraisal gives an informed view of prospects and risks, based on policy and constraints, so you can decide whether pursuing planning is worth the time and cost.
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.
Is Formby an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Formby and elsewhere in Merseyside, including Bootle, Southport and Huyton. 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