Commercial and industrial sites wanted in Northamptonshire
Development Land Wanted buys commercial and industrial sites in Northamptonshire and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
Commercial and industrial sites can sometimes be redeveloped for housing, particularly when they sit among homes or are no longer needed for business. We assess whether a change to residential is realistic and buy suitable sites across England and Wales.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
The commercial and industrial sites that interests us around Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is centred on Northampton, with Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Rushden, Daventry and Brackley and many villages in between. There is no Green Belt and no National Park or National Landscape in the county, so constraints are mostly local: flood risk in the Nene valley, landscape and heritage. Typical sites include edge-of-town fields, urban extensions, farm buildings and village infill, plus former industrial land in the towns.
- Commercial land that is vacant or underused
- Sites with tenants on short leases or approaching breaks
- Garage, workshop and showroom sites
- Land where employment use has been marketed without success
The M1, A14 and A43 corridors, and the Midland Main Line through Kettering, Wellingborough and Corby, focus much of the area's growth. Protected wetland bird habitats in the Nene valley gravel pits mean some schemes near the river contribute to recreational mitigation.
Before we make an offer in Northamptonshire
Leases
Tenancies and their protection affect when the site can be redeveloped.
Contamination
Past industrial uses usually need investigation.
Neighbouring businesses
Homes next to noisy uses may need mitigation or may not be acceptable.
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 introduced Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy in England, which over time may offer an alternative to site-by-site mitigation for some environmental issues.
Northamptonshire has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Northamptonshire are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Commercial and industrial sites wanted in towns across Northamptonshire
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
Common, with leases and remediation reflected in timing and price.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
Used where a change of use still needs consent.
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 agreementWhat 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 Northamptonshire ask
Will the council object to losing business land?
Some councils protect employment land. Evidence that the site is no longer needed or suitable for business can help.
Is permitted development an option?
In England, some commercial-to-residential changes can use prior approval. Whether it applies depends on the use, the building and local restrictions.
How quickly can you look at a site in Northamptonshire?
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.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Northamptonshire assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.