Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Derby
We want to hear from owners of sites with lapsed or refused planning in Derby. There is nothing to pay us, and you are under no obligation.
A site with lapsed or refused planning has been through the system before without a build starting. That history is useful: it shows what the council liked and what it did not. We buy such sites and look at whether a revised scheme could succeed.

- Size
- Any
- Planning
- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Conditional or outright
Sites with lapsed or refused planning we are looking for in Derby
We read the planning history of sites across Derby closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. As the county town of Derbyshire, Derby anchors the area we cover here, along with Belper, Ilkeston and Heanor.
- Land refused for design, access or technical reasons
- Sites where an appeal was dismissed on specific points
- Withdrawn applications
- Land with an old permission that was never started
Derbyshire stretches from the city of Derby and towns such as Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Belper and Ripley in the south and east to the Peak District uplands in the north-west. Green Belt covers land between Derby and Nottingham, near Swadlincote and on the edges of Sheffield and Greater Manchester, while the Peak District National Park covers much of the north. Former colliery and industrial land, edge-of-town fields and village infill are the usual sources of housing sites.
What usually makes or breaks it
Policy changes
National and local policy may have moved since the last decision, for better or worse.
Technical work
Some refusals turn on drainage, highways or ecology evidence that can be improved.
Time since decision
The longer ago the decision, the more the context may have changed.
In England, a planning permission normally has to be implemented within three years unless the council sets a different period, and councils aim to decide minor applications within eight weeks and major ones within thirteen.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 32 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Ways to sell sites with lapsed or refused planning in Derby
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
The usual route: we make the revised application and complete on success.
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 agreementFrom 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.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning in Derby: common questions
My application was refused. Should I appeal or re-apply?
It depends on the reasons and time limits. Sometimes a revised application is better than an appeal. We look at the decision and say what we would do.
Does a refusal make the land worth less?
It can affect value, but often the reasons can be addressed. Policy may also have changed since the decision.
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.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Derby assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.
