Part of the S&K Group · Land, planning and new homesEngland · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland0800 088 6248
Land to Homes emblem: two house roofs over green fieldsLANDTOHOMES
For landowners · Greater London

Sell Land Without Planning in New Malden

Can I sell land without planning in New Malden?

Land without planning permission in New Malden can still be sold for development. Its value rests on hope, meaning how likely it is that new homes will be allowed. Land to Homes can buy suitable sites as they stand, agree a contract that completes only if planning is granted, or partner with you through an option or promotion agreement.

Development surveyor walking a field boundary hedge with a tabletNew Malden · KT3

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

Our coverage in New Malden

About 9 miles south-west of London, New Malden is part of our Greater London coverage, centred on postcode district KT3. Surbiton is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 2 miles, followed by Morden and Wimbledon. New Malden is part of England’s London region.

In and around New Malden, the land we appraise ranges from brownfield land in and around New Malden to corner plots and side gardens, including land behind street frontages. Planning in New Malden follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.

If you own land near New Malden, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.

Our approach in New Malden

Local plan timing

Councils review their development plans periodically and invite landowners to put sites forward. We check where your council is in that cycle, because it can matter more than any single application.

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.

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.

The English system, as it applies in New Malden

Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around New Malden, the usual routes in England are a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement, where the planning work is funded for you and the land is sold once consent is granted. Outline planning permission settles the principle, with reserved matters approved later. Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy where charged and biodiversity net gain all affect what a site is worth, so independent advice matters.

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.

Key rules in New Malden
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Land registrationHM Land Registry
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 Without Planning in New Malden

What is a subject to planning contract?

It is a contract where both sides commit now, but the sale only completes if a satisfactory planning permission is granted. It sets a longstop date, defines what counts as satisfactory and usually says who controls the application. If permission is not granted by the longstop date, either side can normally withdraw without penalty.

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.

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.

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.

Do you work with landowners in New Malden?

We do. We work with landowners in New Malden and elsewhere in Greater London, including Islington, Cricklewood and Richmond. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Sell Land Without Planning · Guide: Planning permission explained for landowners

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.

CallFree appraisal