Planning Permission and Strategy in Lancashire
Land to Homes runs the planning process for residential sites in Lancashire, from a first look at policy to a decision notice. We build the consultant team, commission the surveys, talk to the council and the community, and prepare the application. Where we promote land, we fund the planning work, and those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning.
LancashireFree 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 Lancashire
Across Lancashire, we cover Preston and 17 other towns, among them Morecambe, Accrington and Lytham St Annes. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.
Projects we can take on around Lancashire include land with an expired or ageing consent, plots where access or drainage is the sticking point and in-principle consents that still need detailed approval. Planning in Lancashire 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 Lancashire and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
How we work in Lancashire
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.
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.
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.
How the rules work in Lancashire
Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Lancashire, 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.
| 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 Lancashire
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.
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 happens if planning permission is refused?
You can usually appeal, submit a revised application that deals with the reasons for refusal, or wait for planning policy to change. The right choice depends on the reasons given. We review the decision notice, take specialist advice where needed and explain the options. Under a promotion agreement, further planning work is funded by us on the terms set out in the agreement.
Can you manage a site in Lancashire from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves across Lancashire, including Lytham St Annes, Morecambe and Nelson, 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: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know