Sell Land Without Planning in Derbyshire
Most development land in Derbyshire starts life with no planning at all. If your field, yard or paddock sits close to existing homes, you have a choice: take a lower price now and pass the risk to a buyer, or wait for planning and share in the higher value. We set out both sides in writing after a free appraisal.
DerbyshireFree 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 Derbyshire
Our Derbyshire coverage takes in 12 towns and cities, centred on Derby and including Ilkeston, Heanor and Chesterfield. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire. Derbyshire is close to our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham.
Sites worth a conversation around Derbyshire: redundant commercial buildings, backland plots with a workable access and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. Because Derbyshire 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 DE1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Derbyshire
Buying land as it stands
Where we can see a planning route we are prepared to back, we can buy your land as it stands, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.
Constraints checked first
Flood risk, access, heritage, ecology, protected trees and landscape designations can each decide whether planning is realistic. We look at all of these before discussing any deal or price mechanism with you.
Option or promotion routes
Where planning will take longer, an option or promotion agreement lets us fund the application while you keep ownership. We explain the difference, including who benefits from a higher or lower sale price.
Planning funded on promotion
Nothing to pay upfront: on a promotion agreement we fund the planning work, and those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. The detail is set out in the heads of terms.
How the rules work in Derbyshire
Selling development land in Derbyshire 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, the starting point is the Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Councils assess land put forward in a housing and economic land availability assessment. Smaller housing-led sites can apply for Permission in Principle to test whether the location is acceptable, and some Green Belt land may now be assessed as grey belt.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Common questions in Derbyshire
Can I get planning on land outside the settlement boundary?
Sometimes. Land just outside a boundary is usually treated as countryside, where new housing is restricted. Prospects improve if the council allocates the land in a new plan, or where national policy gives weight to unmet housing need. Each nation handles this differently, so we explain the position for your council area.
What is a call for sites?
When a council prepares or reviews its development plan, it usually invites landowners and developers to put land forward for consideration. Submitting your site does not mean it will be allocated, but it puts the land in front of the council's planning team. In Wales this is usually called the candidate site process.
Should I apply for planning permission myself before selling?
You can, but an application costs money in surveys, reports and fees, and a refusal can make the land harder to sell. A scheme designed by someone who does not intend to build may also not suit housebuilders. Many landowners prefer a partner who carries the cost and risk of planning instead.
Can I keep using the land while planning is pursued?
Usually, yes. Under options and promotion agreements you normally keep ownership and can carry on using the land, for example for grazing or farming, until it is sold. The agreement sets out access for surveys and any restrictions, such as on granting new long-term tenancies.
Is Derbyshire an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Derbyshire, including Alfreton, Chesterfield and Buxton. 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 Without Planning · Guide: Overage and clawback: how they work when you sell land