Small sites wanted in Derby
We are actively looking for small sites in Derby and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
A small site is usually land for fewer than ten homes, such as a corner plot, a side garden or a small field. Larger housebuilders often overlook them, but small sites are exactly the kind of land we want across England and Wales.
- Size
- About 1 to 9 homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- Outright or conditional
What small sites we want near Derby
In Derby, small sites are often the leftover pieces: a side garden, an old garage block or a gap where a building once stood. Derby is the county town of Derbyshire. Nearby places we also cover include Belper, Ilkeston and Heanor.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Small fields or paddocks next to villages
- Plots with consent for one to nine homes
- Land within or touching a settlement boundary
Much of eastern Derbyshire lies on the former coalfield, where a coal mining risk assessment is often needed before building. The M1 corridor towns such as Chesterfield, Alfreton and Ilkeston, and the Swadlincote area near Burton upon Trent, see steady demand for small and medium housing sites.
What usually makes or breaks it
Design fit
A small scheme has to suit the street and the neighbours.
Access
Even small sites need a safe access and parking.
Drainage
Sustainable drainage and sewer connections can still be significant on small sites.
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 small sites in Derby
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
Popular for small plots: you only sell once permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureHow a sale to us works
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.
Questions owners in Derby ask
Why do larger developers ignore small sites?
Large builders tend to focus on bigger schemes that suit their overheads. Small sites need a different approach, which is why we actively look for them.
Do small sites need affordable housing?
In England, affordable housing is generally sought on major development of ten or more homes, though some rural areas set lower thresholds. In Wales, many Local Development Plans seek contributions from smaller sites, sometimes from a single home.
Do you buy small sites in Derby?
Yes. We buy small sites in Derby and throughout Derbyshire, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
Which planning rules apply to land in Derby?
As Derby 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.