Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Tyne and Wear
We want to hear from owners of sites with lapsed or refused planning in Tyne and Wear. 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- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn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
The sites with lapsed or refused planning that interests us around Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear centres on Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead and Sunderland, with South Shields, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Washington and Jarrow. Green Belt surrounds the conurbation and separates its towns, so most housing comes from previously developed land, former shipyard and industrial sites, and town-centre regeneration. Grey belt and small fringe sites around villages can also come forward.
- Sites where planning permission has expired
- Land refused for design, access or technical reasons
- Land with an old permission that was never started
- Plots where policy has changed since the last decision
The Tyne and Wear Metro and the East Coast Main Line are a focus for higher-density homes, and riverside regeneration continues along the Tyne and the Wear. The coast is internationally protected for birds, so schemes near the shore often contribute to recreation mitigation, and coal mining legacy checks are common inland.
What decides whether a site in Tyne and Wear works
Reasons for refusal
The wording of each reason tells us what would need to change.
Policy changes
National and local policy may have moved since the last decision, for better or worse.
Time since decision
The longer ago the decision, the more the context may have changed.
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.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in towns across Tyne and Wear
Choosing how to sell
Subject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractHow a sale to us works
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.
Your questions answered
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.
Do you buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Tyne and Wear?
Yes. We buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Tyne and Wear and throughout Tyne and Wear, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
How quickly can you look at a site in Tyne and Wear?
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.