Sell Land with Planning Permission in Hitchin
Before you sell a consented site in Hitchin, 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.
Hitchin · SG4Free 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 Hitchin
In Hertfordshire, Hitchin lies about 21 miles north of Watford; its central postcode district is SG4. The nearest other places we cover are Letchworth Garden City (3 miles), Stevenage (5 miles) and Luton (7 miles). Hitchin is part of England’s East of England region.
In and around Hitchin, the land we appraise ranges from farmland next to the settlement boundary to land behind street frontages, including brownfield land in and around Hitchin. Because Hitchin is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near SG4 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
What you get in Hitchin
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.
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.
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.
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.
The English system, as it applies in Hitchin
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Hitchin 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Hitchin
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 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 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.
Is Hitchin an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Hitchin and elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including North Watford, Hatfield and Hoddesdon. 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: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?