Land Promotion Agreements in Stockton-on-Tees
With promotion, you keep your land in Stockton-on-Tees while Land to Homes pays for the surveys, design and planning application. There is nothing to pay upfront: costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. A minimum price agreed at the start means you are not obliged to sell below that figure.
Stockton-on-Tees · TS19Free site appraisal
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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
Our coverage in Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees (TS19) is one of the County Durham towns we cover, about 10 miles east of Darlington. Close by, our coverage also takes in Billingham, Thornaby-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Stockton-on-Tees is part of England’s North East region.
Typical sites we review near Stockton-on-Tees include redundant agricultural buildings, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and paddocks on the edge of Stockton-on-Tees. Planning in Stockton-on-Tees 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 Stockton-on-Tees.
Our approach in Stockton-on-Tees
Clear fee and cost rules
The heads of terms state the fee, which costs can be recovered and whether any cap applies, so you can see what will come out of the proceeds before you sign.
Strategic planning work
Larger sites often need representations to the development plan, studies on transport, drainage and ecology, and engagement with the local community. We manage that work and report progress to you.
Open-market sale
Once planning is secured, the land is marketed to housebuilders and other buyers, usually through an agent. The aim is genuine competition between bidders, rather than reliance on a single valuation figure.
Retained land protected
If you keep neighbouring land, the agreement can secure access and services to it, so the new scheme does not cut off the rest of your holding or limit its future use.
Rules that apply in Stockton-on-Tees
If your land near Stockton-on-Tees 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, promotion usually focuses on getting land allocated in a Local Plan, or permitted where the council cannot show enough land for housing. Larger schemes often go in as outline applications, and the heads of terms should explain how Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy and biodiversity net gain costs affect the net proceeds.
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Stockton-on-Tees
Is a promotion agreement better than an option?
Neither is better in every case. Promotion often suits larger sites where open-market competition is likely to drive the price and the landowner wants transparency. An option can suit smaller or more complex sites where one committed buyer matters more. Our guide to option and promotion agreements compares the two.
Can a promotion agreement cover land owned by several people?
Yes. Neighbours, family members or trustees can sign one agreement, or linked agreements, often with a separate arrangement for sharing proceeds between them. This makes it easier to bring forward a larger site with a single planning strategy. Our land assembly page explains how sharing usually works.
What fee does a land promoter take?
The fee is usually a share of the sale proceeds, sometimes calculated after costs are deducted and sometimes capped. There is no standard rate: it depends on the size of the site, the planning risk and the costs involved. Ask for the fee and the cost rules to be set out clearly in the heads of terms.
Will I have a say over who buys the land?
Usually, yes. Promotion agreements typically involve the landowner in agreeing the marketing approach and the choice of buyer, subject to the minimum price. Where several bids meet the minimum, the agreement sets out how the preferred bid is chosen and what happens if the parties disagree.
Is Stockton-on-Tees an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Stockton-on-Tees and elsewhere in County Durham, including Durham, Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland. 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: Land Promotion Agreements · Guide: Tax when selling land for development