Sell land subject to planning in Braintree
If you own land in or around Braintree, 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
Selling land near Braintree?
Free, no-obligation appraisal.
Land around Braintree
Our appraisals for Braintree start with the CM7 postcode district and the OS grid square TL72, then widen out to Witham, Chelmsford and Maldon, all within about 11 miles.
Metropolitan Green Belt covers the south and west of the county, while mid and north Essex have larger areas of farmland around growing towns.
| Town | Braintree |
|---|---|
| County | Essex |
| Country | England |
| Postcode district | CM7 |
| OS grid square | TL72 |
| Nearest towns we cover | Witham (7 mi), Chelmsford (10 mi), Maldon (11 mi) |
| Distance from Southend-on-Sea | About 25 miles north |
| 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
- 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.
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.
Acceptable permission
The contract defines what counts as an acceptable consent.
Deposit
A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.
Your use meanwhile
You normally keep using the land until completion.
Land near Braintree that a subject-to-planning sale suits
Development land in Braintree
Lets you lock in a price now that is paid once we secure permission.
Land with planning permission in Braintree
Useful if you want us to improve or renew the permission before completion.
Small sites in Braintree
The most common route for small unconsented sites.
Redundant commercial and industrial land in Braintree
We complete once housing is approved, with your business using the site meanwhile.
How a sale works
Tell us about your land
Send the postcode or address and a rough size.
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.
Planning and legal points for land in Essex
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.
Awkward details we deal with
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
- The address or postcode
- A rough size, in acres or hectares
- Your title number, if you know it
- Any planning applications or letters
What people ask us about a subject-to-planning sale
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 buy land in Braintree?
Yes. We consider land in and around Braintree and across Essex. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.
Nearby towns
More land we buy in Braintree
- 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 Braintree
- Subject-to-planning sale in Essex
Get a straight answer about your land
Call 0800 088 6248 or send the details. There's no obligation.