Land without planning permission wanted in Chester
We want to hear from owners of land without planning permission in Chester. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
Having no planning permission does not rule land out. Many good development sites start as fields or yards with no consent. We look at local policy, access and constraints, then explain the options, including deals where we take on the planning work.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- None yet
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional, option or JV
The land without planning permission that interests us around Chester
For land on the edges of Chester with no consent yet, the first questions are access, flood risk and how the council's current plan treats the area. As the county town of Cheshire, Chester anchors the area we cover here, along with Ellesmere Port, Neston and Halewood.
- Plots within towns and villages that have never been built on
- Land where a previous application was refused for reasons that could be overcome
- Sites with a road frontage or a realistic access
- Land of any size, including single plots
Cheshire's eastern edge rises into the Peak District National Park, and the Dee and Mersey estuaries bring flood and habitat considerations. Former industrial and chemical land around Northwich, Winsford and Runcorn, and village sites near stations on the Crewe and Manchester lines, are typical development opportunities.
Before we make an offer in Chester
Policy direction
National and local policy decides how a fresh application would be judged, so we read both before advising.
Who pays for planning
Applications, surveys and reports cost money; on conditional and option deals we normally pay for them up front, and any costs deducted from the price are agreed and capped.
Your involvement
You can sell now, sell subject to planning, or grant an option; each asks a different amount of you.
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.
Parts of Cheshire are Green Belt, though not every town has any nearby. We check early whether a site is inside it and, if so, whether a grey belt or previously developed land case could apply.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 60 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Possible where we are comfortable taking the planning risk ourselves.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
The most common route: we fund the application and complete once permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
Suits bigger sites or longer timescales; you are paid a premium and keep the land meanwhile.
Option agreementJoint venture
For owners who want a bigger share of the upside in return for more risk.
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.
Land without planning permission in Chester: common questions
Who pays for the planning application?
On a subject-to-planning contract or an option agreement, we normally pay for the application and the reports that go with it. Under an option, agreed costs may later be deducted from the price; any deduction is capped and set out in the heads of terms.
What if planning is refused?
That depends on the deal. Under a conditional contract we can usually decide whether to appeal, re-apply or walk away; if we walk away you keep your land.
Do you buy land without planning permission in Chester?
Yes. We buy land without planning permission in Chester and throughout Cheshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Is Chester too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 60 miles from Chester, and we look at land right across England and Wales.