Small sites wanted in Harlow
Development Land Wanted buys small sites in Harlow and right across England and Wales. Owners and agents are both welcome.
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
Small sites we are looking for in Harlow
In Harlow, small sites are often the leftover pieces: a side garden, an old garage block or a gap where a building once stood. Sitting about 16 miles west of Chelmsford, Harlow is within Essex, with Hoddesdon and Ware close by.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Garage blocks and small yards
- Sites where an earlier application can be improved
- Land within or touching a settlement boundary
Essex is one of the most varied counties for land, from Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow to the Tendring coast and many rural villages. Much of the south and west is Metropolitan Green Belt, where grey belt and previously developed land are key, while north-east Essex, including Colchester and the Tendring coast, has none. Typical sites include edge-of-village fields, farmyards, former employment land and coastal-town brownfield sites.
Before we make an offer in Harlow
Access
Even small sites need a safe access and parking.
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.
Drainage
Sustainable drainage and sewer connections can still be significant on small sites.
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.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 101 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Subject-to-planning contract
Popular for small plots: you only sell once 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.
Your questions answered
How quickly can you give a view?
For a small site with a clear plan and photos, we can usually say quickly whether it is worth pursuing and how.
Can you buy a single building plot?
Yes. Single plots, with or without consent, are part of what we buy.
Which planning rules apply to land in Harlow?
As Harlow 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 Harlow assessed?
No. Our appraisal is free and there is no obligation to sell to us.