Planning Permission and Strategy in Birmingham
Land to Homes runs the planning process for residential sites in Birmingham, 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.
Birmingham · B1Free 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
Planning and building around Birmingham
Birmingham is the main town we cover in West Midlands, centred on postcode district B1. Nearby, we also cover Smethwick, West Bromwich and Halesowen, all within 7 miles. Birmingham is in the West Midlands region of England. Birmingham is about 6 miles from our Great Barr head office in Birmingham.
Projects we can take on around Birmingham include land where self-build plots could suit the market, sites where the layout needs to change and schemes that need redesigning to work. As Birmingham is in England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you have a site near Birmingham that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
Our approach in Birmingham
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.
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.
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.
How the rules work in Birmingham
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Birmingham 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, 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.
| 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 |
Common questions in Birmingham
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 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.
How long does it take to get planning permission?
It varies with the size of the scheme, the council's workload and whether a legal agreement is needed. Small schemes usually move faster than major applications, which have longer statutory periods and often need a planning obligation. Pre-application advice and good survey work add time at the start but often save time later. We give you a realistic view for your site.
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 manage a site in Birmingham from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Birmingham and elsewhere in West Midlands, including Wednesfield, Kingswinford and Halesowen, 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