Sell brownfield land in Formby
Whether your land is in Formby itself or in the villages between Formby and Maghull, we'll look at it properly before making any offer.
If your site has sat empty because it looks too complicated, we'll investigate the ground and planning position and give you a straight offer.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
Get an offer for land in Formby
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Where Formby sits
From Formby, it's 6 miles to Maghull and 7 miles to Southport. We buy land across that whole stretch of Merseyside, not only within the town.
Largely urban, with substantial brownfield land in Liverpool and the surrounding boroughs and green belt around the edges.
| Town | Formby |
|---|---|
| County | Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | L37 |
| OS grid square | SD20 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Maghull (6 mi), Southport (7 mi), Bootle (7 mi) |
| Distance from Liverpool | About 11 miles north |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
Land we're keen to see around Formby
- Former workshops, depots and yards
- Cleared sites with old hardstanding
- Sites next to canals, railways or town centres
- Land with known or suspected contamination
Brownfield sites often carry baggage: contamination, old foundations, tricky neighbours. They're also some of the best places for new homes, and policy generally supports their reuse.
How we arrive at a figure for land in Merseyside
Demolition
Removing buildings and old foundations is a significant cost on many sites.
Existing use value
If the site has a viable current use, that sets the floor for an offer.
Neighbouring uses
Noise or smells from nearby businesses affect design and value.
Viability
Councils may accept lower obligations where clean-up costs are high.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
We take on the site and its problems for an agreed price.
Subject-to-planning sale
We complete once permission is granted for a housing scheme.
Option agreements
Can suit larger brownfield sites with a longer planning route.
Joint ventures
Worth discussing if you want to share in the regeneration value.
What happens next
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
Planning and legal points for land in Merseyside
Planning framework
Planning decisions in England follow the National Planning Policy Framework, revised in August 2026, and the local plan, prepared by the council or, in a national park, the park authority. Plans are reviewed periodically, which is when new housing sites are usually allocated.
Section 106 and CIL
Larger schemes often need a Section 106 agreement for affordable housing or contributions, and councils that have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charge it per square metre of new floorspace.
Brownfield first
National policy gives substantial weight to reusing suitable brownfield land for homes. Councils keep brownfield land registers, and some sites can gain permission in principle.
Awkward details we deal with
You're worried about contamination liability
Contracts can deal with who takes responsibility for contamination. Take advice from your solicitor on the wording.
The buildings are being vandalised
A quick exchange can transfer risk and security responsibility sooner. We'll talk through timing.
Useful to send us
- The address or postcode
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Photos of the land and its access
Your questions answered
What counts as brownfield land?
Land that has been occupied by a permanent structure and its associated fixed surface infrastructure. Some exceptions apply, such as agricultural buildings and residential gardens in built-up areas.
Is it easier to get planning on brownfield land?
National policy in England and Wales gives weight to reusing suitable brownfield land, so the starting point is often positive. Each site is still judged on its merits.
What is a brownfield land register?
In England, councils keep a register of brownfield sites they consider suitable for housing. Being on it can help the planning case.
How do I get an offer for land in Formby?
Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.
More land we buy in Formby
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Formby
- Brownfield land in Merseyside
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Formby
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.