Sell land subject to planning in Chester
If you own land near Chester, you may be wondering whether a subject-to-planning sale would suit you. The answer depends on your land's planning prospects and how soon you want to be paid.
If your land has a good chance of permission but doesn't have it yet, a subject-to-planning deal usually achieves more than an outright sale.
- No commission: we're the buyer
- Figures explained, so you can check them
- We fund the planning work
Tell us about your land
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Chester at a glance
Our appraisals for Chester start with the CH1 postcode district and the OS grid square SJ46, then widen out to Hawarden, Deeside and Ellesmere Port, all within about 6 miles.
Dairy farmland and market towns, with green belt separating Cheshire's towns from the Merseyside and Manchester conurbations.
| Town | Chester |
|---|---|
| County | Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | CH1 |
| OS grid square | SJ46 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Hawarden (6 mi), Deeside (6 mi), Ellesmere Port (6 mi) |
| Distance from Warrington | About 19 miles south-west |
| Planning system | National Planning Policy Framework and local plan |
| When you're paid | On completion, after permission is granted |
| Planning costs | Ours |
Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for
- Building plots and garden land without permission
- Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
- Land with a registered title
- Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance
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.
What to check in a subject-to-planning sale
Price basis
The price is set against the land's value with permission, so it's usually higher than an unconditional offer.
Long-stop date
If permission isn't granted by an agreed date, either side can end the contract.
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 near Chester that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Development land in Chester
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Green belt and grey belt land in Chester
Suits brownfield green belt sites where a scheme can be tested quickly.
Land for affordable homes in Chester
The usual route: we agree a price and complete when permission is granted.
Inherited and probate land in Chester
Possible if beneficiaries are happy to wait for a higher price.
How a sale works
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
We check it properly
Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.
We put an offer in writing
It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.
Solicitors complete the sale
Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.
What England's rules mean for your land
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're worried about being tied up indefinitely
A long-stop date sets the maximum time. If permission isn't granted by then, you're free.
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.
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
- Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
Common questions
Who pays for the planning application?
We do, along with the surveys and consultants needed to support it.
Can I still use the land before completion?
Usually yes, until we need access for surveys or until completion.
Do I get a deposit?
A deposit is usually paid on exchange, with terms set out in the contract.
Do you buy land in Chester?
Yes. We consider land in and around Chester and across Cheshire. 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 types and routes
- 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
- Small sites
- Garage sites
- Brownfield land
- Redundant commercial and industrial land
- Inherited and probate land
- Landlocked land and access problems
- Outright purchase
- Option agreements
- Joint ventures
- All land in Chester
- Subject-to-planning sale in Cheshire
Ready to talk about your land in Chester?
A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.