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Sell land for affordable homes in Manchester

Thinking about whether to sell land for affordable homes in Manchester? A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and how we got there, with no obligation to go further.

Many landowners like the idea of land helping local families. We explain how exception sites work, what the price is based on and how local need is shown.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • 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.

Where Manchester sits

The land we're most interested in near Manchester sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Salford (2 miles) and Old Trafford (3 miles).

A dense urban core where most new homes are on brownfield land, with green belt on the edges climbing towards the Pennines.

TownManchester
CountyGreater Manchester
CountryEngland
Postcode districtM1
OS grid squareSJ89
Nearest towns we coverSalford (2 mi), Old Trafford (3 mi), Failsworth (3 mi)
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

Land we're keen to see around Manchester

  • Small fields or paddocks adjoining a village
  • Land suitable for a handful of homes up to a small scheme
  • 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.

How we arrive at a figure for land in Greater Manchester

Land price norms

Exception site land is typically priced well above farmland but below open-market housing land.

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.

Access and services

Costs of roads and drainage come out of a smaller budget than market housing.

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 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.

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

You're worried about the price

Exception site land sells for less than market housing land by design. We'll show you the basis so you can compare it with farmland value.

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.

Useful to send us

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

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.

Who lives in the homes?

Usually people with a local connection who can't afford market housing, chosen under rules set in a legal agreement.

How do I get an offer for land in Manchester?

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 in Manchester

Ready to talk about your land in Manchester?

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

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248