Small sites wanted in Chester-le-Street
We are actively looking for small sites in Chester-le-Street and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
Small sites are plots for roughly one to nine homes. They are quicker to plan and build than large schemes and national policy encourages councils to bring more of them forward. We buy small sites with or without planning.
- 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 Chester-le-Street
We want to hear about plots for a few homes anywhere around Chester-le-Street, including ones a larger builder has already turned down. Chester-le-Street is in County Durham, about 6 miles north of Durham. Nearby places include Washington, Houghton-le-Spring and Stanley.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Small fields or paddocks next to villages
- Garage blocks and small yards
- Sites where an earlier application can be improved
County Durham here includes the Tees Valley towns of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool as well as Durham, Chester-le-Street, Consett, Bishop Auckland and the former coalfield villages. Green Belt protects land around Durham and between the Tyne and Wear conurbation and nearby towns, while the North Pennines National Landscape covers the west. Former colliery land, edge-of-village fields and older industrial sites are common sources of housing land.
What decides whether a site in Chester-le-Street works
Design fit
A small scheme has to suit the street and the neighbours.
Affordable housing thresholds
In England affordable housing is usually only sought on schemes of ten or more homes; in Wales many councils seek contributions from smaller sites, sometimes a single home.
BNG (England)
From 6 August 2026 non-major sites of 0.2 ha or less are generally exempt from mandatory BNG unless priority habitat is affected.
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.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 160 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
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 contractFrom 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.
Frequently asked in County Durham
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.
Can an agent introduce land in Chester-le-Street 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.
How quickly can you look at a site in Chester-le-Street?
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.