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Planning, design and build · Greater Manchester

Planning Permission and Strategy in Ashton-under-Lyne

How is planning permission for new homes won in Ashton-under-Lyne?

If you own land in Ashton-under-Lyne 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.

Architect’s desk with a printed residential masterplan, scale ruler and pencilAshton-under-Lyne · OL7

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

Sites we take on near Ashton-under-Lyne

In Greater Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne lies about 6 miles east of Manchester; its central postcode district is OL7. Nearby, we also cover Dukinfield, Stalybridge and Droylsden, all within 2 miles. Ashton-under-Lyne is part of England’s North West region.

Projects we can take on around Ashton-under-Lyne include sites that need a fresh planning strategy, schemes that need redesigning to work and plots where access or drainage is the sticking point. In England, where Ashton-under-Lyne sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

If you have a site near Ashton-under-Lyne that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.

How we work in Ashton-under-Lyne

The right application route

Outline, full or another route the rules allow in that nation. We explain why we chose it and what each route means for timing, cost and risk.

Nothing to pay upfront

Where we promote land, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission.

Early engagement

We seek pre-application advice from the council where it is offered, and talk to neighbours and community groups before submitting, so concerns are dealt with early.

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.

Rules that apply in Ashton-under-Lyne

Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Ashton-under-Lyne, 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, 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.

Key rules in Ashton-under-Lyne
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Ashton-under-Lyne

How do I find out if my land could get planning permission?

Start with the council's development plan, which shows where new homes are supported, and the planning history of the site and its surroundings. Access, flood risk, ecology and heritage also matter. Our free site appraisal reviews these factors and tells you plainly whether we think the land has prospects, and which route to planning would suit it.

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.

Who pays for a planning application?

Normally whoever makes the application pays the council fee and the cost of the surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.

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.

Can you manage a site in Ashton-under-Lyne from planning to build?

On land we take forward ourselves in Ashton-under-Lyne and elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including Urmston, Leigh and Walkden, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.

Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Biodiversity net gain for landowners: what it means for your land

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