New Home Construction in Smethwick
New home construction in Smethwick 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.
Smethwick · B66Free 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 work around Smethwick
About 3 miles west of Birmingham, Smethwick is part of our West Midlands coverage, centred on postcode district B66. West Bromwich is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 2 miles, followed by Birmingham and Halesowen. Smethwick is in the West Midlands region of England. Our head office in Great Barr, Birmingham, is about 5 miles away.
Typical work around Smethwick: in-principle consents that still need detailed approval, plots where access or drainage is the sticking point and land where self-build plots could suit the market. Planning in Smethwick 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 Smethwick that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
How we work in Smethwick
Energy-efficient homes
Homes are designed to meet current energy standards in each nation, which increasingly means low-carbon heating, high insulation and good airtightness.
Groundworks and infrastructure
Roads, sewers, drainage and services are planned and built to the standards needed for adoption by the highway authority and water company where that applies.
Warranty considered early
Most mortgage lenders expect a new home to carry a recognised structural warranty, so warranty provider requirements are considered from the design stage.
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.
How the rules work in Smethwick
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Smethwick 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, 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.
| 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) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
New Home Construction in Smethwick: questions
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 pre-commencement conditions?
They are planning conditions that must be satisfied before any work starts on site, such as approving drainage details, materials or a construction management plan. Starting work without discharging them can put the permission at risk. We deal with them before work begins, together with any planning obligations that apply to the site.
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.
Can you manage a site in Smethwick from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Smethwick and elsewhere in West Midlands, including Wednesbury, Kingswinford and Wolverhampton, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.
Read more: New Home Construction · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys