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Sell land subject to planning in Seaham

If you own land in or around Seaham, subject-to-planning sale is one of four ways you can sell it to us. Here's how it works and when it makes sense.

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.

  • Free appraisal and written offer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a UK phone number.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a postcode, or at least the first half.
Please tick the box so we can contact you.

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

Land around Seaham

From Seaham, it's 5 miles to Houghton-le-Spring and 5 miles to Sunderland. We buy land across that whole stretch of County Durham, not only within the town.

TownSeaham
CountyCounty Durham
CountryEngland
Postcode districtSR7
OS grid squareNZ44
Nearest towns we coverHoughton-le-Spring (5 mi), Sunderland (5 mi), Peterlee (5 mi)
Distance from DarlingtonAbout 23 miles north
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
  • Land where a previous permission has lapsed
  • Land with a registered title
  • Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance

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.

The terms that matter

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.

Price adjustments

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

Your use meanwhile

You normally keep using the land until completion.

Land near Seaham that a subject-to-planning sale suits

Infill plots and gap sites in Seaham

The usual route for unconsented gap sites.

Small sites in Seaham

The most common route for small unconsented sites.

Brownfield land in Seaham

We complete once permission is granted for a housing scheme.

Landlocked land and access problems in Seaham

We complete once access and permission are secured.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

    A postcode, a plan or a what3words location is enough to start.

  2. We check it properly

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

  3. You get a written offer

    With the main figures behind it, so your adviser can check it.

  4. 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.

When the land isn't straightforward

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'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

  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

Your questions answered

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.

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.

How do I get an offer for land in Seaham?

Use the form on this page or call 0800 088 6248. Tell us the postcode, the rough size and anything you know about planning, and we'll come back to you.

Subject-to-planning sale near Seaham

More land we buy in Seaham

Get a straight answer about your land

Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248