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Sell land subject to planning in Greater Manchester

For landowners in Greater Manchester, 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
  • We fund the planning work

Get an offer for land in Greater Manchester

Send the postcode and a rough size.

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

Subject-to-planning sale in Greater Manchester at a glance

A dense urban core where most new homes are on brownfield land, with green belt on the edges climbing towards the Pennines.

CountyGreater Manchester
CountryEngland
Towns we cover here41
Main townManchester
Example postcode districtsBL1, BL4, BL5, BL9, M1
Planning systemNational Planning Policy Framework and local plan
When you're paidOn completion, after permission is granted
TimescalePlanning period, often months
Land surveyor with a GNSS survey pole in a grass field next to a hedgerow

Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Small sites with a clear planning case
  • Land where a previous permission has lapsed
  • Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
  • Land with a registered title

This route suits most building plots, garden land and small sites, where the planning process can be measured in months rather than years.

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.

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 Greater Manchester

Land without planning permission in Greater Manchester

We exchange contracts now and complete once permission is granted.

Green belt and grey belt land in Greater Manchester

Suits brownfield green belt sites where a scheme can be tested quickly.

Farmland and agricultural land in Greater Manchester

Higher price paid when permission is granted on the field.

Barns and rural buildings in Greater Manchester

We complete once planning consent is secured.

Building plots in Greater Manchester

We buy once permission is granted for an agreed scheme.

Small sites in Greater Manchester

The most common route for small unconsented sites.

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. You get a written offer

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

  4. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Greater Manchester

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

  • The address or postcode
  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements

What people ask us about a subject-to-planning sale

Who pays for the planning application?

We do, along with the surveys and consultants needed to support it.

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 Greater Manchester?

Yes. We consider land across Greater Manchester, from Manchester 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 Greater Manchester

Nearby counties

Find out what we'd pay for your land in Greater Manchester

Send the postcode and a rough size and we'll come back with a straight answer.

Get an offerCall 0800 088 6248