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Sell land for affordable homes in Ilkeston

If you own land around Ilkeston and want a straight answer about it, we'll tell you whether we can buy it, on what terms, and what the offer is based on.

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.

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

Tell us about your land

Free, no-obligation appraisal.

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

Ilkeston at a glance

Ilkeston (DE7) sits in OS grid square SK44, about 8 miles north-east of Derby. Sites between here and Heanor or Ripley are just as much of interest to us.

Ranges from the Peak District National Park in the north-west to lowland farmland and former coalfield towns in the east, with green belt between Derby and Nottingham.

TownIlkeston
CountyDerbyshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtDE7
OS grid squareSK44
Nearest towns we coverHeanor (4 mi), Long Eaton (5 mi), Ripley (6 mi)
Distance from DerbyAbout 8 miles north-east
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

What we look for around Ilkeston

  • Small fields or paddocks adjoining a village
  • Villages with evidence of local housing need
  • Parish councils open to a community-led scheme
  • Land owned by families, estates, churches or charities

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.

How we arrive at a figure for land in Derbyshire

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.

How a sale works

  1. Send us the address

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

  2. We do the homework

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

  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.

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.

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

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters

Your questions answered

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.

Do you cover the villages around Ilkeston?

Yes. Villages between Ilkeston, Heanor and Long Eaton often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Ready to talk about your land in Ilkeston?

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