Planning Permission and Strategy in Dunstable
If you own land in Dunstable and want to know whether homes could get planning permission, the answer starts with policy, not plans. We look at what the development plan says, what has been approved or refused nearby and what surveys the site needs. On promotion agreements we fund that work, and we never promise an outcome we cannot control.
Dunstable · LU6Free site appraisal
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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
Planning and building around Dunstable
Dunstable (LU6) is one of the Bedfordshire towns we cover, about 5 miles west of Luton. The nearest other places we cover are Luton (5 miles), Leighton Buzzard (6 miles) and Harpenden (9 miles). Dunstable is part of England’s East of England region.
Near Dunstable, we look at fields that need a masterplan before an application, sites that need a fresh planning strategy and plots where access or drainage is the sticking point. Planning in Dunstable follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Send us the site address near Dunstable and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
Why work with Land to Homes in Dunstable
Your legal fees covered
On option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor.
Planned around buildable homes
As part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, we shape schemes around homes that can be built and delivered, not just consented.
Policy first
We start with the development plan, national policy and the planning history of the site, so the strategy rests on what the council will actually test the application against.
Technical work commissioned
Ecology, drainage, highways, flood risk, heritage and ground conditions, as the site requires. We brief each consultant and check their findings against the planning case.
Planning and land rules in Dunstable
Selling development land in Dunstable 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, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework and the council's Local Plan. Most applications must also deliver biodiversity net gain, and larger schemes usually involve a Section 106 agreement and, where a council charges it, the Community Infrastructure Levy. Permission in principle is an extra route available only in England.
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Dunstable
What is a Section 106 agreement?
A Section 106 agreement is a legal agreement between a council and a landowner or developer that makes a development acceptable in planning terms, for example by securing affordable homes or contributions to schools and roads. It applies in England and Wales. Scotland uses Section 75 agreements and Northern Ireland uses Section 76 planning agreements for similar purposes.
What is permission in principle?
Permission in principle is a route in England that settles whether a site is suitable for housing-led development, separately from the technical details, which follow in a technical details consent. It is available only in England. Scotland has planning permission in principle, which works more like an outline permission. Wales and Northern Ireland use outline applications to establish the principle.
What is the difference between outline and full planning permission?
Outline permission establishes whether development is acceptable in principle, with some or all of the details, known as reserved matters, left for a later application. Full permission approves the detailed scheme in one go. Outline is often used to secure the principle on land before it is sold. In Scotland the equivalent of outline is planning permission in principle.
Can you guarantee planning permission?
No. Nobody can guarantee planning permission, because the decision rests with the planning authority or, on appeal, an independent appeal body. What we can do is choose sites with genuine prospects, prepare a thorough application and deal with likely objections before they arise. If we think a site is unlikely to succeed, we will tell you.
Do you take on planning and building work in Dunstable?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Dunstable and elsewhere in Bedfordshire, including Leighton Buzzard, Bedford and Luton. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Biodiversity net gain for landowners: what it means for your land