Sell Land with Planning Permission in London
Got planning permission on land in London but no wish to build? You can sell the site with the consent attached. Land to Homes reads the decision notice, the approved drawings, the conditions and any planning agreement, then tells you whether we would buy it directly, subject to survey, title and contract, and what would affect the figure.
London · EC1AFree 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 London
Our Greater London coverage is centred on London, postcode district EC1A, and reaches 81 other places. City of Westminster is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 1 mile, followed by Pimlico and Islington.
Sites worth a conversation around London: small holdings and pony paddocks, redundant commercial buildings and redundant agricultural buildings. Planning in London 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 EC1A and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
What you get in London
Expiry dates checked
Most permissions lapse if development does not lawfully begin within the period set in the decision. We check the deadline, and whether a lawful start has already been made, before discussing any deal.
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.
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.
Planning in London: the English rules
In England, most planning applications for new homes in London are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
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 |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A 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 London
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.
Do I need to clear the planning conditions before I sell?
Not usually. Many sites sell with conditions still outstanding, and the buyer deals with them as part of preparing to build. Clearing some in advance can make a site easier to sell, but it costs money and may not suit every buyer's design. We will tell you whether it is worth doing on your site.
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.
Do you work with landowners in London?
We do. We work with landowners in London and elsewhere in Greater London, including Welling, Canary Wharf and Islington. 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?