Sell strategic land and large sites in Durham
Thinking about whether to sell strategic land and large sites in Durham? A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and how we got there, with no obligation to go further.
Strategic land is a larger site, usually several acres or more, whose development depends on being allocated in a local plan or winning a major planning permission. Because that can take years, strategic land is usually sold on an option or a conditional contract rather than outright.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- Independent advice encouraged
Tell us about your land
We'll check the title and planning, then call you.
Durham at a glance
Durham (DH1) sits in OS grid square NZ24, about 17 miles north of Darlington. Sites between here and Chester-le-Street or Stanley are just as much of interest to us.
Former coalfield villages in the east, the North Pennines National Landscape to the west, and green belt around Durham city linking with Tyne and Wear.
| Town | Durham |
|---|---|
| County | County Durham |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | DH1 |
| OS grid square | NZ24 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Chester-le-Street (6 mi), Houghton-le-Spring (6 mi), Stanley (8 mi) |
| Distance from Darlington | About 17 miles north |
| 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 Durham
- Blocks of land of several acres on the edge of towns and larger villages
- Sites that can be reached from a main road or a new junction
- Land without major heritage, ecology or flood constraints
- Land where a phased scheme could start on a smaller first phase
Strategic land is a long game. We set out the planning route, who pays for what, and how the final price is worked out before you commit to anything.
What decides the value of strategic land near Durham
Infrastructure
New roads, schools or drainage on a large scheme are paid for out of land value.
Price mechanism
Options and conditional contracts usually pay a share of market value at the time permission is granted.
Minimum price
A floor price protects you if values fall during a long planning process.
Phasing
Large sites are often bought in phases, with payments staged to match.
Choosing how to sell
Outright purchase
Rare on unallocated strategic land, but possible at a risk-adjusted price.
Subject-to-planning sale
A fixed or formula price paid once an acceptable permission is granted.
Option agreements
The usual route: an option fee now and a price based on market value later.
Joint ventures
Lets you share in the development value if you can wait for it.
What happens next
Send us the address
A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.
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.
Rules that apply in England
Green belt and grey belt
Green belt land is protected from inappropriate development. National policy in England also recognises 'grey belt': green belt land that doesn't strongly contribute to key green belt purposes, where housing can be acceptable if further tests are met.
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.
Farm tenancies
Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies and farm business tenancies have their own notice and compensation rules, which affect when land can be developed.
When the land isn't straightforward
Several family members own the land
We can work with all owners and their advisers, and agreements can set out how payments are split.
You are worried about being tied up for years
We agree a term with clear milestones, so the agreement can end if planning stalls.
Useful to send us
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Any planning applications or letters
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
- Photos of the land and its access
Common questions
How is the price worked out on an option?
Most options set the price as a percentage of market value once permission is granted, less agreed deductions, with a minimum price to protect you. We explain every deduction before you sign.
Do I pay for planning on strategic land?
Normally not. Under an option or conditional contract the buyer funds planning and technical work, and recovers those costs from the land price only if the agreement allows it.
Should I take independent advice?
Yes. Strategic land agreements are complex and you should have your own solicitor and, ideally, a land agent or surveyor. Some agreements contribute to those costs; we will say up front whether ours does.
Do you buy land in Durham?
Yes. We consider land in and around Durham and across County Durham. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
More land we buy in Durham
- Development land
- Land with planning permission
- Land without planning permission
- 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
- 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 Durham
- Large strategic sites in County Durham
Find out what we'd pay for your land near Durham
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.