Subject-to-planning contract for land in the East Riding of Yorkshire
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
A subject-to-planning (conditional) contract is a sale agreed now that only completes once planning permission is granted on terms both sides have defined. We normally pay for the application, and if permission is not obtained the contract can end and the landowner keeps the land.
Subject-to-planning contract for land in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Subject-to-planning contract is one of four ways we buy land in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The East Riding of Yorkshire, as used here, includes Kingston upon Hull as well as Beverley, Bridlington, Goole, Driffield and many villages across the Wolds and Holderness. There is no Green Belt, and land around the Humber estuary and in Holderness is often in high flood risk zones, which strongly influences where housing can go. Sites typically include edge-of-town and village land, farm buildings and former commercial or port-related land in Hull.
A proposal to designate the Yorkshire Wolds as a new National Landscape was submitted to the Secretary of State in September 2026 and awaits a decision. The Holderness coast is one of the fastest-eroding in Europe, so coastal change can rule out sites, while the A63 and M62 corridor links Hull and Goole westwards.
In England, the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 17 August 2026 replaced the old "tilted balance" with new settlement policies: development within a settlement should normally be approved unless the harm substantially outweighs the benefits, while land outside a settlement can gain support in defined circumstances.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
The East Riding of Yorkshire has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Beverley are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
In short: we agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted. It usually suits land without planning that has a realistic route; infill, garden and small sites; owners who want a value linked to planning without funding it. See how a subject-to-planning contract works for the full process, pros and cons.
Land in the East Riding of Yorkshire that often suits a subject-to-planning contract
WantedLand without planning permission
For land on the edges of Beverley with no consent yet, the first questions are access, flood risk and how the council's current plan treats the area. The most common route: we fund the application and complete once permission is granted.
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WantedBrownfield land
Brownfield land in Beverley tends to be well located for homes; the questions are usually about contamination, demolition and neighbours. Useful where the change from commercial to residential still needs consent.
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WantedSmall sites
We want to hear about plots for a few homes anywhere around Beverley, including ones a larger builder has already turned down. Popular for small plots: you only sell once permission is granted.
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WantedCommercial and industrial sites
In Beverley, industrial land that has drifted out of use can often be reimagined as homes, subject to the council's view on employment land. Used where a change of use still needs consent.
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WantedRedundant buildings
Across Beverley, empty offices, shops and former pubs can find a new life as homes when the building and the planning position line up. Used where consent or prior approval is still needed.
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WantedGarage courts and yards
Across Beverley, lock-up blocks that are half empty can be a better use of land as homes, with parking handled sensibly. The usual route for garage courts.
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WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
If a scheme near Beverley was refused or ran out of time, the officer's report usually shows what a better application would need. The usual route: we make the revised application and complete on success.
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WantedAllocated and promoted land
We are interested in land around Beverley at any plan stage, from a first submission to an adopted allocation. Used where an application is the next step.
Learn moreTowns we cover in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Subject-to-planning contract: questions
What counts as a satisfactory permission?
The contract defines it: usually the number and type of homes, acceptable conditions and planning obligations, and the end of the judicial review period.
What happens if planning is refused?
The contract normally lets us appeal, re-apply or withdraw within set timescales. If it ends, you keep your land.
Is there a deposit?
Sometimes a modest deposit is paid on exchange; terms vary by site and are set out in the heads of terms.
Do you use subject-to-planning contracts for land in the East Riding of Yorkshire?
Yes. We use subject-to-planning contracts across the East Riding of Yorkshire and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.