Small sites wanted in Oldham
We are actively looking for small sites in Oldham 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
Small sites we are looking for in Oldham
Small sites in and around Oldham are central to what we look for, from corner plots to the odd field on the edge of a nearby village. Oldham lies about 6 miles north-east of Manchester in Greater Manchester. We also cover Chadderton, Royton, Middleton and the villages between them.
- Corner plots and side gardens with road frontage
- Garage blocks and small yards
- Plots with consent for one to nine homes
- Sites where an earlier application can be improved
Greater Manchester is a dense conurbation centred on Manchester and Salford, ringed by towns such as Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Stockport and Altrincham. Green Belt separates many of these towns and covers the moorland fringe, so most housing land is previously developed: former mills, industrial estates, yards and town-centre sites. Grey belt and small edge-of-settlement fields can also come forward on the urban fringe.
Checks we make on small sites in Oldham
Design fit
A small scheme has to suit the street and the neighbours.
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.
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.
Some land in Greater Manchester is designated Green Belt. If your land is within it, it may still qualify as grey belt or previously developed land under national policy, subject to the Golden Rules.
Our base is in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 69 miles away, and we buy land throughout England and Wales.
Four ways to sell to us
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractThe next steps
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.
Small sites in Oldham: common questions
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.
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.
Is Oldham too far from our Birmingham base?
No. We are based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 69 miles from Oldham, and we look at land right across England and Wales.
Which planning rules apply to land in Oldham?
As Oldham 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.