Brownfield land wanted in St Helens
We are actively looking for brownfield land in St Helens and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
A brownfield site is previously developed land, usually in or near a town. Old use can mean contamination, demolition or difficult ground, but these are often solvable. We look at the history, the ground and the planning position before making an offer.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
Brownfield land we are looking for in St Helens
Former works, depots and yards in and around St Helens can make good housing sites once the ground and neighbouring uses are understood. St Helens lies about 10 miles east of Liverpool in Merseyside. We also cover Haydock, Prescot, Ashton-in-Makerfield and the villages between them.
- Former industrial, commercial or depot sites
- Cleared sites and land with hardstanding
- Yards and builders' compounds within towns
- Land with buildings that would be demolished
Merseyside centres on Liverpool, with Birkenhead and Wallasey across the Mersey, Southport and Formby on the coast, and towns such as St Helens, Bootle, Huyton and Kirkby. Green Belt separates many of these places and covers much of the remaining open land, so most housing comes from previously developed land, docks, former industrial estates and town-centre sites. Grey belt and small fringe sites can also come forward.
Checks we make on brownfield land in St Helens
Contamination
Past uses can leave contamination; desk studies and site investigation show what remediation is needed.
Demolition and ground
Old foundations, tanks and services add cost, so we allow for them in our appraisal.
Employment land policy
Some councils protect employment land; we check whether a change to housing would be resisted.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
Some land in Merseyside is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 71 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
Common for brownfield, with contamination and demolition allowed for in the price.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureWhat happens after you get in touch
Get in touch
Tell us where the land is and what you know about it.
Site review
We look at the land, its planning position and anything that could affect it.
Proposal
We put our proposal in writing, with no obligation to accept.
Exchange and completion
If you go ahead, contracts are exchanged and the sale completes on the agreed terms.
Questions owners in St Helens ask
Will contamination stop a sale?
Not usually. It affects cost and the work needed, which we allow for. Any reports you already have help us give a firmer view sooner.
My site is still let to a tenant. Is that a problem?
It can be managed. Tell us about the lease terms and any break dates and we will factor them into the timing.
Is St Helens too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 71 miles from St Helens, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
How quickly can you look at a site in St Helens?
For most sites we can give an initial view once we have the location and a plan. Detailed checks follow if the land looks suitable.