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Planning, design and build · Lincolnshire

Planning Permission and Strategy in Boston

How is planning permission for new homes won in Boston?

If you own land in Boston 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.

White card architectural model of a small cul-de-sac in a planning studioBoston · PE21

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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 Boston

Boston sits about 27 miles south-east of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, in the PE21 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Spalding (14 miles), Skegness (19 miles) and Wisbech (23 miles). Boston is part of England’s Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Projects we can take on around Boston include in-principle consents that still need detailed approval, land with an expired or ageing consent and fields that need a masterplan before an application. Because Boston is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Tell us about the site near Boston and we will explain how we would take it forward.

Why work with Land to Homes in Boston

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.

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.

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.

Planning and land rules in Boston

Selling development land in Boston 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.

Key rules in Boston
Local planning documentLocal Plan
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Your questions answered for Boston

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.

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.

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.

Can you manage a site in Boston from planning to build?

On land we take forward ourselves in Boston and elsewhere in Lincolnshire, including Scunthorpe, Grantham and Grimsby, 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

Planning Permission and Strategy elsewhere in Lincolnshire

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.

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