Sell land for affordable homes in Saddleworth
Our interest in land for affordable housing around Saddleworth 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.
A rural exception site is a small site on the edge of a village, where housing would not normally be allowed, that can be granted permission for affordable homes to meet a local need. Land sold for this purpose usually achieves more than farmland value, though less than open-market housing land.
- 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.
Where Saddleworth sits
Our appraisals for Saddleworth start with the OL3 postcode district and the OS grid square SD90, then widen out to Oldham, Royton and Stalybridge, all within about 5 miles.
A dense urban core where most new homes are on brownfield land, with green belt on the edges climbing towards the Pennines.
| Town | Saddleworth |
|---|---|
| County | Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | OL3 |
| OS grid square | SD90 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Oldham (5 mi), Royton (5 mi), Stalybridge (5 mi) |
| Distance from Manchester | About 11 miles north-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |
What we look for around Saddleworth
- Small fields or paddocks adjoining a village
- Sites with safe access and walking routes to village facilities
- Land suitable for a handful of homes up to a small 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.
The things that move our offer
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.
Long-term control
Legal agreements keep the homes affordable, often with local occupancy rules.
Ways to sell this land
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
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.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
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.
When the land isn't straightforward
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
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Questions from landowners near Saddleworth
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 buy land in Saddleworth?
Yes. We consider land in and around Saddleworth and across Greater Manchester. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Land for affordable homes near Saddleworth
Other land types and routes
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap sites
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Subject-to-planning sale
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Saddleworth
- Land for affordable homes in Greater Manchester
Ready to talk about your land in Saddleworth?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.