Sites with lapsed or refused planning wanted in Birmingham
Development Land Wanted buys sites with lapsed or refused planning in Birmingham and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
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- Lapsed, refused or withdrawn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 Birmingham
We read the planning history of sites across Birmingham closely; a past refusal often points straight to the fix. Birmingham is the main city of the West Midlands. Nearby places we also cover include Smethwick, West Bromwich and Halesowen.
- Sites where planning permission has expired
- Land refused for design, access or technical reasons
- Sites where an appeal was dismissed on specific points
- Land with an old permission that was never started
The West Midlands county is a dense conurbation of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Solihull, Walsall, Dudley and the Black Country towns. Green Belt surrounds and separates parts of the conurbation, including the Meriden Gap between Birmingham and Coventry, so most housing comes from previously developed land: former industrial and canal-side sites, yards, garage courts and town centres. Grey belt and small fringe sites around Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Aldridge can also come forward.
What usually makes or breaks it
Policy changes
National and local policy may have moved since the last decision, for better or worse.
Appeal history
An inspector's decision carries weight in future applications.
Time since decision
The longer ago the decision, the more the context may have changed.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 introduced Environmental Delivery Plans and a Nature Restoration Levy in England, which over time may offer an alternative to site-by-site mitigation for some environmental issues.
Parts of the West Midlands 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, close to Birmingham, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning 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 agreementFrom first call to completion
Get in touch
Tell us where the land is and what you know about it.
Site review
We look at the land, its planning position and anything that could affect it.
Proposal
We put our proposal in writing, with no obligation to accept.
Exchange and completion
If you go ahead, contracts are exchanged and the sale completes on the agreed terms.
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.
My permission lapsed years ago. Is it still relevant?
Yes. An old permission shows the principle was once accepted, though current policy now applies.
Do you buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Birmingham?
Yes. We buy sites with lapsed or refused planning in Birmingham and throughout the West Midlands, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Can an agent introduce land in Birmingham 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.