Land without planning permission wanted in Hornchurch
If you own land without planning permission in or around Hornchurch, we would like to hear about it. We buy directly and give a free, no-obligation appraisal.
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 Hornchurch
Near Hornchurch, land without planning is worth discussing where it adjoins existing homes or has been put forward to the council's plan. Sitting about 15 miles east of central London, Hornchurch is within Greater London, with Upminster and Romford close by.
- Fields and paddocks next to existing settlements
- 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
Outer London, from Romford and Bexley to Uxbridge, Barnet, Croydon and Sutton, contains most of the capital's remaining land opportunities. Around the edge, the Metropolitan Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land protect open space, and a small part of the Kent Downs National Landscape lies in the south-east. Sites usually come forward as small infill plots, garage courts, backland, former commercial buildings and occasional grey belt land on the urban fringe.
Before we make an offer in Hornchurch
Policy direction
National and local policy decides how a fresh application would be judged, so we read both before advising.
Timescale
Getting permission can take months or years; we are honest about that from the start.
Access and highways
Without a safe access, even well-located land is unlikely to get consent.
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 Greater London 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 113 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
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
You grant us the right to buy within a set period, usually for an option premium, while we pursue planning.
Option agreementJoint venture
For owners who want a bigger share of the upside in return for more risk.
Joint ventureFrom first call to completion
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 Hornchurch: common questions
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.
Is Hornchurch too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 113 miles from Hornchurch, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
How quickly can you look at a site in Hornchurch?
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.