New Home Construction in Berkshire
New home construction in Berkshire is the stage where a consented scheme becomes real homes: site set-up, groundworks, roads and drainage, building the homes and handing them over. Land to Homes manages construction on the sites it brings forward, working with contractors and suppliers, and plans each scheme around homes that can be built well and then sold or let.
BerkshireFree site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
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- 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 work around Berkshire
Our Berkshire coverage takes in 11 towns and cities, centred on Reading and including Newbury, Bracknell and Slough. Next door, we also cover Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.
Typical work around Berkshire: land where self-build plots could suit the market, sites where the layout needs to change and land with an expired or ageing consent. Planning in Berkshire follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
If you have a site near Berkshire that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
Our approach in Berkshire
Respect for neighbours
Site traffic, working hours, noise and dust are managed under a construction management plan where the council requires one, and neighbours know who to contact.
Built to the right regulations
Each home is built to the building regulations or building standards of its nation, with inspections at key stages of the build.
Conditions cleared first
Pre-commencement conditions, legal agreements and utility connections are dealt with before work begins, so the build starts on a sound footing.
Mixed tenures on one site
Homes for sale, homes for rent and affordable homes can be built together, designed so that the tenures are hard to tell apart from the street.
Planning and land rules in Berkshire
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Berkshire may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
In England, homes are built to the Building Regulations and signed off by council building control or a registered building control approver. Higher-risk residential buildings go through the Building Safety Regulator. Energy standards are being raised through the Future Homes Standard, and most developments must also deliver the biodiversity net gain agreed at planning.
| 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 Berkshire
Do new homes have to be energy efficient?
Yes. Each nation's building regulations or building standards set energy efficiency requirements for new homes, and these have been tightened over recent years. In Scotland, new homes generally need zero direct emissions heating, such as heat pumps. England and Wales are moving to higher standards through updates to their own regulations.
Does Land to Homes build the homes itself?
Land to Homes manages planning, design and construction on the sites it brings forward, and is part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group. Construction is carried out with contractors and suppliers under our management. Because we plan land with building in mind, the schemes we take to planning are designed to be delivered.
What are building regulations?
Building regulations set minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings, including structure, fire safety, energy efficiency, drainage and accessibility. England, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own regulations, approved through building control. Scotland has building standards, and work needs a building warrant from the council before it starts and a completion certificate at the end.
What happens to the roads and sewers on a new development?
On many developments the new roads are built to the highway authority's standards and then adopted, so the council maintains them. Sewers can similarly be adopted by the water company. Where roads or open spaces are not adopted, they are usually looked after by a management company funded by residents, and buyers should check this before reserving.
Do you take on planning and building work in Berkshire?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership across Berkshire, including Sandhurst, Thatcham and Bracknell. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: New Home Construction · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys