Sell redundant commercial or industrial land in Colchester
If you own redundant commercial land near Colchester, we can usually tell you quite quickly whether it suits us, and if it doesn't, we'll say why.
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.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land around Colchester
Our appraisals for Colchester start with the CO1 postcode district and the OS grid square TL92, then widen out to Sudbury, Clacton-on-Sea and Witham, all within about 13 miles.
| Town | Colchester |
|---|---|
| County | Essex |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | CO1 |
| OS grid square | TL92 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Sudbury (13 mi), Clacton-on-Sea (13 mi), Witham (13 mi) |
| Distance from Southend-on-Sea | About 26 miles north |
| 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 Colchester
- Small industrial units and yards in residential areas
- Former showrooms, garages and workshops
- Commercial buildings with permitted development potential
- Sites with a mix of buildings and open storage
If your business has moved, closed or outgrown its premises, the site may be worth more as housing than as commercial space.
What affects the price
Existing use value
A let or lettable commercial site has a value that a housing offer must exceed.
Demolition and contamination
Industrial uses can leave contamination that needs investigating.
Leases
Occupational leases and security of tenure affect timing.
Neighbours
Homes next to retained businesses need careful design for noise.
Choosing how to sell
How a sale works
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
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.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
What England's rules mean for your land
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
What people ask us about redundant commercial land
Can I keep running my business after selling?
Yes, through a conditional contract or a short leaseback agreed as part of the deal.
Do you buy sites with tenants in place?
Yes. We review the leases and allow for the time and cost of obtaining vacant possession.
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 you buy land in Colchester?
Yes. We consider land in and around Colchester and across Essex. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Other land in Colchester
- 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 Colchester
- Redundant commercial and industrial land in Essex
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Colchester
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.