Sell a small development site in Washington
For owners of small development sites in and around Washington, we offer four ways to sell, from a clean outright purchase to deals that pay more once planning is granted.
Government policy has repeatedly emphasised the role of small sites in housing supply. We'll check how your council's plan supports them.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- No pressure to decide
Get an offer for land in Washington
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Land around Washington
The land we're most interested in near Washington sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Chester-le-Street (4 miles) and Felling (4 miles).
Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and the surrounding boroughs, with brownfield land in the urban core and green belt on the fringe.
| Town | Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Tyne and Wear |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | NE37 |
| OS grid square | NZ35 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Chester-le-Street (4 mi), Felling (4 mi), Houghton-le-Spring (5 mi) |
| Distance from Newcastle upon Tyne | About 6 miles south-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 Washington
- Sites for two to around nine homes
- Corner plots, odd-shaped parcels and leftover land
- Sites with an existing permission for a small scheme
- Small sites in villages where policy supports limited growth
A corner of land, an old yard or a large garden can make a small site for a few homes. We buy them, and our aim is to take them through planning to new homes.
The things that move our offer
Number of homes
Each additional home a site can take adds value, if the layout works.
Access
A short private drive can serve a few homes; more need an adoptable road.
Drainage
Sustainable drainage must fit within the site.
Biodiversity net gain
Since 6 August 2026, sites of 0.2 hectares or less are exempt unless priority habitat is affected; larger sites must still deliver at least a 10% gain.
Ways to sell this land
How a sale works
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.
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.
Common problems, and how we handle them
There's a protected tree
We design around it and allow for root protection areas.
The access is tight
We check whether it can serve the number of homes proposed.
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
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
What people ask us about small development sites
What is a small site?
Usually a site for fewer than ten homes. Definitions vary, but these are the sites larger builders often pass over.
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.
Can I see your appraisal?
We'll explain the main figures behind our offer so you can compare it with independent advice.
Do you buy land in Washington?
Yes. We consider land in and around Washington and across Tyne and Wear. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Small sites near Washington
Other land in Washington
- 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 Washington
- Small sites in Tyne and Wear
Ready to talk about your land in Washington?
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.