Planning Permission and Strategy in East Grinstead
Land to Homes runs the planning process for residential sites in East Grinstead, 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.
East Grinstead · RH19Free 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 East Grinstead
About 8 miles east of Crawley, East Grinstead is part of our West Sussex coverage, centred on postcode district RH19. The nearest other places we cover are Horley (7 miles), Crawley (8 miles) and Crowborough (9 miles). Within England, East Grinstead falls in the South East region.
Projects we can take on around East Grinstead include land where self-build plots could suit the market, fields that need a masterplan before an application and sites that need a fresh planning strategy. Because East Grinstead is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us the site address near East Grinstead and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
Our approach in East Grinstead
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.
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.
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.
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.
How the rules work in East Grinstead
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside East Grinstead may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
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) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Planning Permission and Strategy in East Grinstead: questions
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.
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.
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.
Do you take on planning and building work in East Grinstead?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in East Grinstead and elsewhere in West Sussex, including Haywards Heath, Crawley and Bognor Regis. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Who pays for land promotion? Fees, costs and legal fees explained