0800 088 6248 Get an offer
Land we buyWays to sellAreasGuidesAbout Contact Get an offer

Sell land for affordable homes in Workington

For owners of land for affordable housing in and around Workington, we offer four ways to sell, from a clean outright purchase to deals that pay more once planning is granted.

Exception sites work differently from normal housing land. The price is lower than open-market development land but well above agricultural value, and the homes stay affordable for the community.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

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

Where Workington sits

Our appraisals for Workington start with the CA14 postcode district and the OS grid square NY02, then widen out to Maryport, Whitehaven and Cockermouth, all within about 7 miles.

Upland farming country. The Lake District National Park covers the central fells, so most growth is focused on Carlisle, Kendal and the west coast towns.

TownWorkington
CountyCumbria
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCA14
OS grid squareNY02
Nearest towns we coverMaryport (5 mi), Whitehaven (7 mi), Cockermouth (7 mi)
Distance from CarlisleAbout 30 miles south-west
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
Ways to sellOutright, subject to planning, option or joint venture
Small group of new brick homes with slate roofs on the edge of a village

Is your land near Workington a good fit?

  • Small fields or paddocks adjoining a village
  • Villages with evidence of local housing need
  • Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities
  • Sites where a small share of market homes could help viability, where policy allows it

Affordable and social housing is part of the land-to-homes work we're setting out to do. If you own land on the edge of a village and want it to house local people, a rural exception scheme may be the right route.

The things that move our offer

Local policy

Each council sets its own rules for exception sites, including whether any market homes are allowed.

Housing need

A local housing needs survey usually has to show demand for the homes.

Tenure mix

Social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership homes produce different values.

Scheme size

Exception sites are usually small and proportionate to the village.

Four routes to a sale

Outright purchase

Possible once an exception scheme has permission.

Subject-to-planning sale

The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.

Option agreements

Useful while housing need is evidenced and a scheme is prepared.

Joint ventures

Can suit estates and charities that want an ongoing say in the homes.

How a sale works

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

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.

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.

Rural exception sites

The National Planning Policy Framework supports small rural exception sites for affordable homes that meet a local need.

Awkward details we deal with

The village has no recent housing survey

Need can be evidenced through a new survey with the parish council and the council's housing team.

You're a charity or trust

Charity trustees usually need advice from a designated adviser before disposing of land. We'll work with your adviser.

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 land for affordable housing

Do rural exception sites exist in Wales?

Yes. Welsh planning policy also supports rural exception sites for affordable housing that meets local need.

Will I get open-market land value?

No. Exception sites are priced below open-market housing land because the homes must stay affordable. The price is still usually well above agricultural value.

Can some homes be sold on the open market?

Some councils allow a small number of market homes to make a scheme viable. It depends on local policy.

How do I get an offer for land in Workington?

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.

Nearby towns

Other land types and routes

Get a straight answer about your land

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248