Sell land for affordable homes in Tyne and Wear
If you're looking to sell land for affordable homes anywhere in Tyne and Wear, we'll appraise it for free and explain our offer in writing.
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.
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
- Independent advice encouraged
Get an offer for land in Tyne and Wear
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land for affordable homes in Tyne and Wear at a glance
Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and the surrounding boroughs, with brownfield land in the urban core and green belt on the fringe.
| County | Tyne and Wear |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 15 |
| Main town | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Example postcode districts | DH4, NE1, NE3, NE8, NE10 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
Land we're keen to see in Tyne and Wear
- Sites with safe access and walking routes to village facilities
- Land suitable for a handful of homes up to a small scheme
- Parish councils open to a community-led 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.
What decides the value of land for affordable housing in Tyne and Wear
Local policy
Each council sets its own rules for exception sites, including whether any market homes are allowed.
Tenure mix
Social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership homes produce different values.
Access and services
Costs of roads and drainage come out of a smaller budget than market housing.
Long-term control
Legal agreements keep the homes affordable, often with local occupancy rules.
Ways to sell this land
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.
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.
What happens next
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We do the homework
We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
Planning and legal points for land in Tyne and Wear
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
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
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
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.
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.
Do you buy land in Tyne and Wear?
Yes. We consider land across Tyne and Wear, from Newcastle upon Tyne to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.
Land for affordable homes by town in Tyne and Wear
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Tyne and Wear
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.