Land without planning permission wanted in Merseyside
Looking to sell land without planning permission near Merseyside? We assess every site on its merits and explain the options in plain English.
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 Merseyside
Merseyside centres on Liverpool, with Birkenhead and Wallasey across the Mersey, Southport and Formby on the coast, and towns such as St Helens, Bootle, Huyton and Kirkby. Green Belt separates many of these places and covers much of the remaining open land, so most housing comes from previously developed land, docks, former industrial estates and town-centre sites. Grey belt and small fringe sites can also come forward.
- Fields and paddocks next to existing settlements
- Plots within towns and villages that have never been built on
- Sites with a road frontage or a realistic access
- Land of any size, including single plots
Regeneration areas along the Liverpool and Birkenhead waterfronts, and around Merseyrail stations, are a focus for higher-density homes. The coast from Southport to the Wirral includes internationally protected dunes and estuary habitats, so coastal schemes often need habitats assessment and recreation mitigation.
What usually makes or breaks it
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.
English councils keep brownfield land registers, and some previously developed sites can be granted permission in principle, a quicker way of establishing whether housing is acceptable before technical details are settled.
Parts of Merseyside 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.
Ways to sell land without planning permission in Merseyside
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
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
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
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.
Frequently asked in Merseyside
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.
Can an agent introduce land in Merseyside to you?
Yes. Estate agents, land agents and planning consultants can introduce sites with the owner's consent. Any fee is agreed in writing before details are shared, confirmed by the owner in writing and paid only on completion.
How quickly can you look at a site in Merseyside?
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.