Sell land subject to planning in Berkshire
For landowners in Berkshire, a subject-to-planning sale is one of four ways to sell to us. Here's how it works there.
A conditional contract shares the planning risk fairly. You agree a price today, we fund and run the planning application, and the sale completes if permission comes through.
- Free appraisal and written offer
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
Get an offer for land in Berkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size.
Subject-to-planning sale in Berkshire at a glance
The Thames valley towns are under steady pressure for new homes. Much of east Berkshire is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the west takes in part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
| County | Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Towns we cover here | 11 |
| Main town | Reading |
| Example postcode districts | GU47, RG1, RG6, RG12, RG14 |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Timescale | Planning period, often months |
Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for
- Building plots and garden land without permission
- Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
- Owners willing to wait for a higher price
- Land with a registered title
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
This route suits most building plots, garden land and small sites, where the planning process can be measured in months rather than years.
What to check in a subject-to-planning sale
Long-stop date
If permission isn't granted by an agreed date, either side can end the contract.
Acceptable permission
The contract defines what counts as an acceptable consent.
Appeals
Contracts say whether we can appeal a refusal and how long that adds.
Deposit
A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.
Land a subject-to-planning sale works for in Berkshire
Land without planning permission in Berkshire
We exchange contracts now and complete once permission is granted.
Land for affordable homes in Berkshire
The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.
Farmland and agricultural land in Berkshire
Higher price paid when permission is granted on the field.
Garden land and backland in Berkshire
The usual route for garden land: we complete when permission is granted.
Brownfield land in Berkshire
We complete once permission is granted for a housing scheme.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Berkshire
We complete once housing is approved, with your business using the site meanwhile.
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.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
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.
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
You want to know what 'acceptable' permission means
The contract defines it, such as a minimum number of homes. Your solicitor should check it carefully.
You're worried we'll get permission for something you don't like
The contract can set out the scheme or limits on what we apply for.
Useful to send us
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
- Any planning applications or letters
- How soon you'd ideally like to sell
Common questions
What is a subject-to-planning sale?
A sale where contracts are exchanged now, but completion depends on planning permission being granted. If it isn't granted by the long-stop date, the contract can end.
What happens if planning is refused?
We may appeal if the contract allows. If permission isn't secured by the long-stop date, the contract ends and you keep your land.
Do I get a deposit?
A deposit is usually paid on exchange, with terms set out in the contract.
Do you buy land in Berkshire?
Yes. We consider land across Berkshire, from Reading to the smaller towns and villages. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, and we'll tell you either way.
Subject-to-planning sale by town in Berkshire
Find out what we'd pay for your land in Berkshire
Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.