Residential development land wanted in Leicestershire
Development Land Wanted buys residential development land in Leicestershire and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
If a piece of land could hold new houses or flats, it counts as residential development land. That might be a paddock on the edge of a village, a yard in a town, or a field next to an existing estate. We assess each one on its own merits and say plainly what we think.
- Size
- Any — single plots to 50+ homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- All four
Residential development land we are looking for in Leicestershire
Leicestershire surrounds the city of Leicester and includes Loughborough, Hinckley, Coalville, Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough, plus many villages. There is no Green Belt, although local plans use green wedges and areas of separation to keep settlements apart. Typical sites include edge-of-town and village fields, farm buildings, infill plots and former industrial land around Coalville and the north-west of the county.
- Land next to or within an existing town, village or suburb
- Land outside the highest flood risk zones, or where flood risk only affects part of the site
- Sites with or without planning permission, including land promoted in a local plan
- Freehold land where the owner (or all the owners) can sell
The M1, M69 and Midland Main Line corridors carry most growth, with urban extensions around Leicester and Loughborough. In the north-west, nutrient advice for the River Mease has affected schemes, and much of the area near Coalville is former coalfield, so mining risk checks can apply.
Checks we make on residential development land in Leicestershire
Access
A safe vehicle access with adequate visibility is often the single biggest make-or-break item.
Flood risk
We check the official flood maps early; land in the highest-risk zones is rarely suitable for homes.
Development plan position
Whether the council has an up-to-date plan shapes how applications are judged; in England, housing land supply also matters.
Where an English council cannot show a five-year supply of housing land, or its Housing Delivery Test result falls below 75%, the August 2026 NPPF can give policy support to suitable housing outside settlement boundaries.
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.
Leicestershire has no designated Green Belt, so the main policy questions near Leicestershire are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
Residential development land wanted in towns across Leicestershire
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Best where planning is already granted or the route to it is clear.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
Common for land without planning: we agree a price now and complete once a suitable 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
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureThe next steps
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.
Questions owners in Leicestershire ask
Does my land need planning permission before you will look at it?
No. Most residential land we are asked about has no planning yet. We look at policy, access and constraints and tell you whether we think a permission is realistic, and which way of selling suits the risk.
How small a site do you consider?
We look at single building plots as well as larger sites. Small sites can be very worthwhile, particularly infill land within towns and villages.
Which planning rules apply to land in Leicestershire?
As Leicestershire is in England, national policy comes from the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026. Local policies in the council's development plan also apply.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Leicestershire assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.