Sell Land with Planning Permission in Bedford
Before you sell a consented site in Bedford, check when the permission expires and which conditions must be cleared before work can start. Those two points shape what a builder will pay. Our free, no-obligation appraisal looks at the permission itself, then explains whether a direct purchase or an open-market sale suits you better.
Bedford · MK40Free 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
Land we look at around Bedford
Bedford sits about 18 miles north of Luton in Bedfordshire, in the MK40 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Ampthill (8 miles), St Neots (10 miles) and Rushden (12 miles). Within England, Bedford falls in the East of England region.
Sites worth a conversation around Bedford: small holdings and pony paddocks, brownfield land in and around Bedford and land that already has planning permission. Because Bedford is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Tell us where your land is around Bedford and we will explain the routes open to you.
What you get in Bedford
Honest view on redesign
If a revised scheme could make the site work better, we explain that openly, including the planning risk a fresh application would carry, so you can judge any offer that depends on it.
Permission read in full
We read the decision notice, the approved plans and every condition, so any offer reflects what the consent actually allows rather than the headline number of homes on the application form.
Direct purchase of consented sites
Where a consented site suits us, we can buy it ourselves with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract. Any planning agreement passes to us with the land.
Conditions priced in
Pre-commencement conditions, such as drainage, materials or ecology details, must be discharged before work starts. We identify which are outstanding, what they are likely to cost and who would deal with them.
Planning in Bedford: the English rules
Selling development land in Bedford usually starts with heads of terms, a short written summary of price, conditions and fees, before solicitors draft the contract. In England the sale becomes binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title then registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer normally pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
In England, buyers check Section 106 obligations, any Community Infrastructure Levy liability and, for many newer permissions, the biodiversity gain condition, which usually requires a biodiversity gain plan to be approved before work starts. We also confirm whether the consent came from a full application, an outline approval, or Permission in Principle followed by technical details consent.
| 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) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Your questions answered for Bedford
What is a pre-commencement condition?
It is a condition that must be discharged before any development starts, such as approval of drainage, materials, a construction management plan or ecology measures. Starting work before discharging one can mean the permission has not been lawfully implemented. Buyers check these carefully because they affect both cost and when building can begin.
Does planning permission go with the land when I sell?
Yes. In most cases planning permission runs with the land, not the owner, so it passes to the buyer automatically. Personal permissions are rare exceptions. Planning agreements tied to the consent, such as a Section 106 agreement in England and Wales, also bind the land, so the buyer takes on those obligations as well.
Who pays the Community Infrastructure Levy when I sell land with planning?
CIL is only charged where the council has adopted it, which is possible in England and Wales but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. It is normally payable when development starts, by whoever has assumed liability. If you sell before work begins, the buyer usually takes on that liability. Reliefs and exemptions generally have to be claimed before commencement, so check the council's charging schedule.
What happens if my planning permission is about to expire?
If development has not lawfully begun by the deadline, the permission usually lapses and a new application is needed, which may be judged against newer policy. The usual choices are to sell to a buyer able to make a lawful start, to apply again, or to make a start yourself after discharging pre-commencement conditions. Take planning advice early.
Do you work with landowners in Bedford?
We do. We work with landowners in Bedford and elsewhere in Bedfordshire, including Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Ampthill. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?