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Sell land with planning permission in Chester-le-Street

Our interest in land with planning permission around Chester-le-Street is simple: we're buying land to build homes on, so we look for sites where homes are realistic and price them on that basis.

Land with planning permission has consent from the local planning authority to build a specific development, either in outline (the principle) or in full (the detailed design). We buy consented sites directly, check the permission and its conditions, and make an offer you can accept without marketing the land.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Land around Chester-le-Street

The land we're most interested in near Chester-le-Street sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Washington (4 miles) and Houghton-le-Spring (5 miles).

TownChester-le-Street
CountyCounty Durham
CountryEngland
Postcode districtDH3
OS grid squareNZ25
Nearest towns we coverWashington (4 mi), Houghton-le-Spring (5 mi), Stanley (5 mi)
Distance from DarlingtonAbout 23 miles north
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Greenfield site with timber setting-out pegs and orange tape beside a temporary mesh fence

Is your land near Chester-le-Street a good fit?

  • Reserved matters approvals or discharge-of-conditions decisions already in place
  • Sites with a signed Section 106 agreement we can read
  • Prior approvals for conversions, such as agricultural buildings to homes
  • Lapsed or lapsing permissions, which we can look at renewing

A site with a live planning permission is the simplest land to sell. The main questions are whether the permission is still valid, what its conditions require and how much the Section 106 agreement costs to deliver.

What affects the price

Type of permission

Full permission carries less risk than outline, which still needs reserved matters approval.

Pre-commencement conditions

Conditions that must be discharged before building starts can add surveys, cost and delay.

Section 106 and CIL

Affordable housing and financial contributions come straight off what a buyer can pay.

Abnormal costs

Retaining walls, drainage works or contamination add cost beyond a normal build.

Choosing how to sell

Outright purchase

The usual route for consented land: agree a price, then exchange and complete.

Subject-to-planning sale

Useful if you want us to improve or renew the permission before completion.

Option agreements

Rarely needed once consent exists, but can suit phased sites.

Joint ventures

An option if you would like a share of the profit from building the homes.

From first call to completion

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Rules that apply in England

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.

Agricultural buildings (Class Q)

In England, Class Q permitted development can allow some agricultural buildings to become homes through prior approval, within limits on size and number of homes.

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.

When the land isn't straightforward

The permission is about to expire

In England a full permission normally lasts three years and in Wales five. We check whether a lawful start has been made or whether a new application is the better route.

The Section 106 makes the scheme unviable

If costs have moved since consent, a viability review or a variation may be possible. We will tell you if we think that is realistic.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Common questions

How long does planning permission last?

In England, full planning permission usually requires work to start within three years, and in Wales within five, unless the decision notice says otherwise. Outline permissions have separate time limits for reserved matters. The decision notice sets out the exact dates.

Do you pay more for full permission?

Usually, because there is less risk and less work before building can start. How much more depends on the conditions and obligations attached.

Can you exchange quickly on a consented site?

Often, yes, because the planning question is answered. The pace then depends on title, searches and how quickly both solicitors work.

Do you cover the villages around Chester-le-Street?

Yes. Villages between Chester-le-Street, Washington and Houghton-le-Spring often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Nearby towns

Other land types and routes

Ready to talk about your land in Chester-le-Street?

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248