Sell development land in Market Harborough

We consider development land in Market Harborough and across Leicestershire, from sites close to the LE16 postcode district out towards Desborough and Corby.

Development land is land where new homes or other buildings could realistically be built, either because it already has planning permission or because its location makes permission a reasonable prospect. We buy development land across England and Wales directly from the owner, so there is no agent's commission to pay.

No commission: we're the buyer
Figures explained, so you can check them
No pressure to decide

Selling land near Market Harborough?

Send the postcode and a rough size.

Market Harborough at a glance

Market Harborough lies in Leicestershire, some 14 miles south-east of Leicester. Nearby, we also look at land around Desborough (5 miles), Corby (10 miles) and Kettering (10 miles).

Largely lowland farmland and growing towns. Unlike many Midlands counties, Leicestershire has no designated green belt.

Town	Market Harborough
County	Leicestershire
Country	England
Postcode district	LE16
OS grid square	SP78
Nearest towns we cover	Desborough (5 mi), Corby (10 mi), Kettering (10 mi)
Distance from Leicester	About 14 miles south-east
Planning system	National Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sell	Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture

Grass field beside the back gardens of a modern housing estate, with a field gate onto the road

What makes development land near Market Harborough worth an offer

A safe point of access onto a public road, or a realistic way to create one
Mains water, drainage and electricity nearby
Sites allocated, or put forward, in the local plan
Land with a planning history we can build on, even if earlier applications were refused

Selling development land well depends on matching the deal to the planning position. With permission in place, an outright sale is usually simplest. Without it, a conditional contract or option can share the planning risk fairly.

What decides the value of development land near Market Harborough

Planning status

Land with an implementable permission is worth far more than land with none, because the biggest risk has gone.

Number of homes

Value follows how many homes the site can sensibly take once roads, open space and drainage are fitted in.

Local sale values

The price new homes will sell for nearby sets the ceiling on what the land is worth.

Ecology and trees

Protected species, ancient hedgerows and tree preservation orders can reduce the developable area.

Ways to sell this land

Outright purchase

Best where permission is already granted and the title is clean.

Subject-to-planning sale

Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.

Option agreements

Suits larger fields where the planning route may take several years.

Joint ventures

Worth discussing if you want a share of the finished development value.

How a sale works

Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Rules that apply in England

Green belt and grey belt

Green belt land is protected from inappropriate development. National policy in England also recognises 'grey belt': green belt land that doesn't strongly contribute to key green belt purposes, where housing can be acceptable if further tests are met.

Biodiversity net gain

Under the Environment Act 2021, most developments in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity. Since 6 August 2026, sites of 0.2 hectares or less are exempt unless priority habitat is affected.

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.

Awkward details we deal with

The access is over someone else's land

We check the title for rights of way and, where needed, factor in the cost of buying or negotiating access.

Part of the field floods

We map the flood zones and look at whether homes can sit on the drier part, with the rest used as open space.

Useful to send us

A rough size, in acres or hectares
A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Your questions answered

Do you buy development land without planning permission?

Yes. Without permission we usually buy on a subject-to-planning contract or an option, so the price reflects value with permission rather than farmland value. If you need a quick, unconditional sale, we can also make an outright offer that reflects the planning risk.

Will I pay any fees to you?

No. We are the buyer, not an agent, so there is no commission. You will normally pay your own solicitor unless we agree otherwise in writing.

How long does it take to sell development land?

With permission and clean title, a sale can move as fast as the solicitors can complete the legal work. Without permission, timing depends on the planning process, which commonly takes many months and sometimes years for larger sites.

How do I get an offer for land in Market Harborough?

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.

Get a straight answer about your land

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.

Get an offer Call 0800 088 6248