Sell redundant commercial or industrial land in Cambridge
Thinking about whether to sell redundant commercial or industrial land in Cambridge? A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and how we got there, with no obligation to go further.
Redundant commercial and industrial land is a business site no longer needed for its original use, such as a small industrial unit, haulage yard or showroom. Where the site sits among homes, redevelopment for housing is often the best long-term use, subject to planning policy on employment land.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Where Cambridge sits
Land around Cambridge falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are St Ives, 12 miles away, and Newmarket, 13 miles away, and Peterborough is 30 miles away.
Flat arable fenland in the north contrasts with a fast-growing Cambridge area in the south, where the Cambridge green belt surrounds the city.
| Town | Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Cambridgeshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | CB21 |
| OS grid square | TL45 |
| Nearest towns we cover | St Ives (12 mi), Newmarket (13 mi), Ely (15 mi) |
| Distance from Peterborough | About 30 miles south-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What we look for around Cambridge
- Former showrooms, garages and workshops
- Commercial buildings with permitted development potential
- Sites with a mix of buildings and open storage
- Businesses looking for a sale and short leaseback
Councils sometimes protect employment land, so we check the policy position before assuming a site can change to housing.
How we arrive at a figure for land in Cambridgeshire
Existing use value
A let or lettable commercial site has a value that a housing offer must exceed.
Leases
Occupational leases and security of tenure affect timing.
Neighbours
Homes next to retained businesses need careful design for noise.
Access
Commercial access often works well for housing, which helps value.
Four routes to a sale
How a sale works
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
Planning and legal points for land in Cambridgeshire
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.
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.
Tax on the sale
The buyer pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. As the seller you may owe capital gains tax, and some commercial land carries VAT. Take advice from an accountant.
Common problems, and how we handle them
You still need the premises for now
A conditional deal or a short leaseback lets you keep operating until you're ready to move.
There are underground tanks
Fuel tanks are common on old garage and depot sites. We arrange removal as part of the works.
Useful to send us
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
Can I keep running my business after selling?
Yes, through a conditional contract or a short leaseback agreed as part of the deal.
What is prior approval for commercial to residential?
In England, permitted development rights allow some commercial buildings to change to homes through a prior approval process, within set limits.
Do I pay VAT on the sale?
Commercial property can be subject to VAT if an option to tax has been made. Ask your accountant and tell your solicitor early.
Do you cover the villages around Cambridge?
Yes. Villages between Cambridge, St Ives and Newmarket often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.
More land we buy in Cambridge
- 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
- Brownfield land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Cambridge
- Redundant commercial and industrial land in Cambridgeshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Cambridge
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.