Sell a small development site in Oldham
If you own land around Oldham 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.
A small site is a piece of land that could take a handful of homes, typically up to around nine. National housebuilders often overlook small sites, which is where a regional builder buying direct can offer a better route to sale.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Oldham at a glance
The land we're most interested in near Oldham sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Chadderton (1 mile) and Royton (2 miles).
A dense urban core where most new homes are on brownfield land, with green belt on the edges climbing towards the Pennines.
| Town | Oldham |
|---|---|
| County | Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | OL1 |
| OS grid square | SD90 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Chadderton (1 mi), Royton (2 mi), Failsworth (3 mi) |
| Distance from Manchester | About 6 miles north-east |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| Ways to sell | Outright, subject to planning, option or joint venture |

Land we're keen to see around Oldham
- Sites for two to around nine homes
- Corner plots, odd-shaped parcels and leftover land
- Old yards, depots and lock-up sites
- Small sites in villages where policy supports limited growth
Small sites are a focus for us. They're too small for many national housebuilders, and too complicated for many self-builders, which can leave owners without an obvious buyer.
How we arrive at a figure for land in Greater Manchester
Access
A short private drive can serve a few homes; more need an adoptable road.
Trees and boundaries
Mature trees and hedges on small sites have a big effect on layout.
Drainage
Sustainable drainage must fit within the site.
Build costs
Small sites cost more per home to build, which the land price reflects.
Four routes to a sale
What happens next
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.
You get a written offer
With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.
The legal work
Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.
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.
Biodiversity net gain
Under the Environment Act 2021, most developments in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity. Since 6 August 2026, sites of 0.2 hectares or less are exempt unless priority habitat is affected.
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.
Awkward details we deal with
The site is an awkward shape
Odd shapes often still work for a short terrace or a pair of homes. We test layouts before offering.
The access is tight
We check whether it can serve the number of homes proposed.
Useful to send us
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
What people ask us about small development sites
Do small sites need affordable housing?
In England, national policy generally doesn't seek affordable housing on schemes below ten homes, though some rural areas set lower thresholds. In Wales, many Local Development Plans seek contributions from smaller sites. We check the local policy.
How do you value a small site?
We work out what the homes would sell for, then deduct build costs, fees, finance, planning costs and a profit margin. What's left is the land value.
Will you build the homes yourselves?
That's the aim of the land-to-homes work we're setting out to do: buying the land, getting permission and building the homes.
Do you buy land in Oldham?
Yes. We consider land in and around Oldham 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.
Other land in Oldham
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- Large strategic sites
- Green belt and grey belt land
- Land for affordable homes
- Farmland and agricultural land
- Paddocks and equestrian land
- Barns and rural buildings
- Building plots
- Garden land and backland
- Infill plots and gap 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 Oldham
- Small sites in Greater Manchester
Get a straight answer about your land
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.