Land without planning permission wanted in Bishop Auckland
We are actively looking for land without planning permission in Bishop Auckland and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
Land without planning permission is land that has no current consent for development but may be able to get one. Most of the land we are offered falls into this group, and we assess whether a planning route is realistic before suggesting how a sale could work.
- Size
- Any
- Planning
- None yet
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional, option or JV
Land without planning permission we are looking for in Bishop Auckland
For land on the edges of Bishop Auckland with no consent yet, the first questions are access, flood risk and how the council's current plan treats the area. Bishop Auckland lies about 9 miles south-west of Durham in County Durham. We also cover Spennymoor, Newton Aycliffe, Durham and the villages between them.
- Land the owner has put forward to a local plan or call for sites
- 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
The East Coast Main Line and A1(M) run north to south through the area, linking Darlington and Durham with Newcastle. Much of the county is former coalfield, so mining risk checks are routine, and nutrient neutrality advice has applied in parts of the Tees catchment draining to Teesmouth.
Before we make an offer in Bishop Auckland
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.
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.
Parts of County Durham 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.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 146 miles from Bishop Auckland, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
How we could buy your land in Bishop Auckland
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 ventureFrom first call to completion
Tell us about the land
Use the form or call us with the location and a rough outline of the site.
Free appraisal
We review title, planning and constraints and tell you honestly what we think.
Written offer
If the site suits us, we set out an offer and the way we propose to buy.
Solicitors take over
Your solicitor and ours agree the contract; we keep you informed throughout.
Frequently asked in County Durham
Can I keep using the land while planning is sought?
Usually, yes. Farming, grazing or other current uses can generally continue until completion, subject to what we agree.
Do you buy land with no planning outright?
Sometimes. If we are confident about the planning route we can buy outright, which gives you certainty sooner but reflects the risk we take on.
How quickly can you look at a site in Bishop Auckland?
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.
Which planning rules apply to land in Bishop Auckland?
As Bishop Auckland is in England, national policy comes from the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026. Local policies in the council's development plan also apply.