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Sell land subject to planning in Billingham

For owners in Billingham and the TS23 area, a subject-to-planning sale is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

A subject-to-planning sale, or conditional contract, is a sale where contracts are exchanged now but completion only happens once an acceptable planning permission is granted. It lets you agree a price based on the land's value with permission, while the buyer pays for and manages the application.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • No pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged

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Free and no obligation. We're the buyer, so there's no commission.

Land around Billingham

Land around Billingham falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Stockton-on-Tees, 2 miles away, and Middlesbrough, 2 miles away, and Darlington is 11 miles away.

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.

TownBillingham
CountyCounty Durham
CountryEngland
Postcode districtTS23
OS grid squareNZ42
Nearest towns we coverStockton-on-Tees (2 mi), Middlesbrough (2 mi), Thornaby-on-Tees (4 mi)
Distance from DarlingtonAbout 11 miles north-east
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOn completion, after permission is granted
Planning costsOurs
Land surveyor with a GNSS survey pole in a grass field next to a hedgerow

Is a subject-to-planning sale right for your land?

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Small sites with a clear planning case
  • Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
  • Owners willing to wait for a higher price

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.

How the money works

Price basis

The price is set against the land's value with permission, so it's usually higher than an unconditional offer.

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.

Price adjustments

Some contracts adjust the price for the number of homes approved.

What happens next

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  2. We check it properly

    Title, planning history, access, flood maps and local policy.

  3. We put an offer in writing

    It shows how we got there. There's no obligation to accept.

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in County Durham

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

  • The address or postcode
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters

Common questions

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.

How long does the planning stage take?

In England the statutory period is eight weeks for most applications and thirteen for major ones; in Wales it's eight weeks. Both extend to sixteen weeks where an environmental impact assessment is needed, and surveys, validation and negotiation often add time.

Do you cover the villages around Billingham?

Yes. Villages between Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Find out what we'd pay for your land near Billingham

A free appraisal tells you what we'd pay and why.