Part of the S&K Group · Land, planning and new homesEngland · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland0800 088 6248
Land to Homes emblem: two house roofs over green fieldsLANDTOHOMES
For landowners · County Durham

Sell Land for Development in Chester-le-Street

Can I sell land for development in Chester-le-Street?

If you own land in Chester-le-Street that could take new homes, you can sell it to Land to Homes as it stands or let us take it through planning first. Selling now gives you certainty. Going through planning first usually raises what the land is worth. On promotion agreements we fund the planning work, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.

Landowner and surveyor at a wooden field gate looking over a paddock behind town gardensChester-le-Street · DH3

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

Land we look at around Chester-le-Street

About 23 miles north of Darlington, Chester-le-Street is part of our County Durham coverage, centred on postcode district DH3. Close by, our coverage also takes in Houghton-le-Spring, Stanley and Durham. Chester-le-Street is part of England’s North East region.

Sites worth a conversation around Chester-le-Street: fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, brownfield land in and around Chester-le-Street and redundant commercial buildings. In England, where Chester-le-Street 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 own land near Chester-le-Street, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.

Our approach in Chester-le-Street

Every nation covered

We work across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and tailor each deal to the planning and conveyancing rules that apply where your land sits.

Nothing to pay upfront

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

We build what we buy

Land to Homes is part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, so we plan sites around homes we can actually build and deliver.

Three ways to sell

A direct purchase, an option agreement or a promotion agreement. We explain the trade-off between certainty now and value later, in writing, so you can compare like with like.

The English system, as it applies in Chester-le-Street

Land with no planning permission can still be sold. Around Chester-le-Street, 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, planning decisions follow the National Planning Policy Framework and the council's Local Plan. Where a council cannot show enough land for housing, sites on the edge of settlements can come forward sooner, which affects whether we buy now or promote.

Key rules in Chester-le-Street
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
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationHM Land Registry

Common questions in Chester-le-Street

Do I need an agent to sell development land?

You do not have to use one, but independent advice is sensible on any land deal. Many landowners use a land agent or chartered surveyor, and you will need your own solicitor. Where we agree to cover your reasonable legal fees, the cap is set out in writing.

Will I have to pay tax when I sell land?

Selling land can create a Capital Gains Tax or Income Tax liability depending on your circumstances. We are not tax advisers, so we always recommend speaking to an accountant before you agree terms. GOV.UK has a guide to tax when you sell land and property.

How much is my land worth for development?

It depends on how many homes the site could take, what those homes would sell for locally, and the costs of building them, including roads, drainage, affordable housing and planning obligations. Agricultural or paddock land without planning prospects is worth far less than land with permission. Our free appraisal explains the factors for your site.

How long does selling land for development take?

A direct sale of land with clear title can move as quickly as the legal work allows. Where planning permission is needed first, the timescale depends on the local plan and the planning process, which is why options and promotion agreements run over a set term.

Is Chester-le-Street an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Chester-le-Street and elsewhere in County Durham, including Consett, Stanley and Peterlee. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.

Read more: Sell Land for Development · Guide: How to sell land for development

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