Residential development land wanted in Leicester
Development Land Wanted buys residential development land in Leicester and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
Residential development land is any site where new homes could reasonably be built, whether it already has planning permission or not. We look at land of every size across England and Wales and give owners a straight answer on whether housing is realistic.

- Size
- Any — single plots to 50+ homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- All four
Is your land in Leicester the kind we want?
Around Leicester, the residential land that tends to work is close to existing homes, shops and transport rather than out on its own. As the county town of Leicestershire, Leicester anchors the area we cover here, along with Oadby, Wigston and Mountsorrel.
- 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
- Single plots, small sites, medium sites and larger strategic land
- 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.
What usually makes or breaks it
Settlement boundary
Land inside or touching a defined settlement usually has a clearer policy route than isolated land.
Development plan position
Whether the council has an up-to-date plan shapes how applications are judged; in England, housing land supply also matters.
Utilities and drainage
Foul and surface water drainage, and power capacity, affect cost and timing more than most owners expect.
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 Leicester are usually the settlement boundary, landscape and access.
We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, around 33 miles from Leicester, and we travel to see sites across England and Wales.
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
Suits larger or longer-term land where planning may take several years.
Option agreementHow 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.
Questions owners in Leicester 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.
Will you tell me if you think the land is not suitable?
Yes. If we think the site has no realistic route to homes we will say so and, where we can, explain why.
Do you buy residential development land in Leicester?
Yes. We buy residential development land in Leicester and throughout Leicestershire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Do I need to pay anything to have land in Leicester assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.
