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For landowners · Greater London

Sell Land with Planning Permission in Finchley

Can I sell land with planning permission in Finchley?

Before you sell a consented site in Finchley, 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.

Grass field bordered by a hedgerow, with the backs of a housing estate along one sideFinchley · N3

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

Land we look at around Finchley

We cover Finchley as part of Greater London. It is about 7 miles north-west of London, around postcode district N3. The nearest other places we cover are Muswell Hill (2 miles), Cricklewood (3 miles) and Kilburn (3 miles). Finchley is part of England’s London region.

In and around Finchley, the land we appraise ranges from redundant agricultural buildings to farmland next to the settlement boundary, including redundant commercial buildings. Planning in Finchley follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.

Send us a postcode in or near N3 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Why work with Land to Homes in Finchley

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.

Outline or full consent

Outline permission settles the principle, while reserved matters such as layout, scale and appearance still need approval. Full permission is further advanced. We explain how each stage affects what a buyer will pay.

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 obligations understood

Section 106 agreements in England and Wales, Section 75 in Scotland and Section 76 in Northern Ireland bind the land. Their costs, such as affordable housing or contributions, pass to the buyer and affect value.

Planning in Finchley: the English rules

If your land near Finchley 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, 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.

Key rules in Finchley
Local planning documentLocal Plan
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
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.

Questions about Sell Land with Planning Permission in Finchley

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.

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.

What checks will a buyer make on land with planning permission?

Expect checks on the decision notice and conditions, any planning agreement, the title and boundaries, access and visibility at the junction, drainage and utility connections, ground conditions, ecology and flood risk. A surprise found late can lead to renegotiation, so sharing what you already know early tends to keep a sale on track.

Is outline planning permission worth less than full permission?

Usually, because more approvals are still needed. Outline permission sets the principle and sometimes the access, while reserved matters such as layout, scale, appearance and landscaping come later. A buyer allows for the cost and risk of that remaining work. In Scotland the closest equivalent is planning permission in principle.

Do you work with landowners in Finchley?

We do. We work with landowners in Finchley and elsewhere in Greater London, including Willesden, Leytonstone and Hadley Wood. 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?

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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