Land with planning permission wanted in Derby
Looking to sell land with planning permission near Derby? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
A site with planning permission already has the council's approval for development, so much of the planning risk has gone. If you have consent but no plans to build, or the permission is approaching its time limit, we would like to hear from you.
- Size
- Any number of homes
- Planning
- Outline, full or reserved matters
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
Is your land in Derby the kind we want?
For consented land around Derby, the first things we read are the decision notice, the conditions and any legal agreement attached to the permission. Derby is the county town of Derbyshire. Nearby places we also cover include Belper, Ilkeston and Heanor.
- Outline permissions, full permissions and approved reserved matters
- Permissions that are close to their time limit to start work
- Single plots with consent for one or two homes
- Larger consented schemes where the owner does not want to build
Much of eastern Derbyshire lies on the former coalfield, where a coal mining risk assessment is often needed before building. The M1 corridor towns such as Chesterfield, Alfreton and Ilkeston, and the Swadlincote area near Burton upon Trent, see steady demand for small and medium housing sites.
What decides whether a site in Derby works
Time limit
Permissions normally have to be started within a set period, so the date the consent expires matters a great deal.
Conditions
Pre-commencement conditions, such as drainage or ecology details, must be dealt with before work can lawfully start.
Title and access
Consent does not cure title problems, so rights of access and covenants still need checking.
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.
Some land in Derbyshire 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 32 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
The usual route for consented land: an agreed price and a straightforward sale.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
Used where a fresh or amended application would improve the scheme.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
Rarely needed once permission exists, but possible for phased sites.
Option agreementJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureHow a sale to us works
Send the basics
A postcode or plan and a few lines about the land are enough to start.
We do the homework
We check planning history, policy, flood maps and access at no cost to you.
We explain the options
You get a written proposal covering price, structure and timing.
Agree and proceed
Once you are happy, solicitors are instructed and the deal moves forward.
Frequently asked in Derbyshire
My permission expires soon. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Depending on the time left and the conditions, it may be possible to make a lawful start, apply again or vary the scheme. Tell us the expiry date as soon as you can.
Can you buy if the approved scheme is not one you would build?
Yes. Sometimes we buy on the basis of the existing permission and then seek changes through a new or amended application.
Is Derby too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 32 miles from Derby, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
How quickly can you look at a site in Derby?
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.