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Sell land subject to planning in Berkhamsted

For owners in Berkhamsted and the HP4 area, a subject-to-planning sale is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

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.

  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

We'll check the title and planning, then call you.

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

Berkhamsted at a glance

Berkhamsted (HP4) sits in OS grid square SP90, some 10 miles north-west of Watford. Sites between here and Chesham or Amersham on the Hill are just as much of interest to us.

Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt, which makes land with genuine development prospects scarce and keenly contested.

TownBerkhamsted
CountyHertfordshire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtHP4
OS grid squareSP90
Nearest towns we coverChesham (4 mi), Hemel Hempstead (5 mi), Amersham on the Hill (6 mi)
Distance from WatfordAbout 10 miles north-west
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

When a subject-to-planning sale suits land near Berkhamsted

  • Small sites with a clear planning case
  • Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
  • Land with a registered title
  • Sites where the planning period can be agreed in advance

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

How the money works

Acceptable permission

The contract defines what counts as an acceptable consent.

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.

Your use meanwhile

You normally keep using the land until completion.

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.

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.

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 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 rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access

Questions from landowners near Berkhamsted

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.

Who pays for the planning application?

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

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.

Can you visit land near Berkhamsted?

Yes. Once we've looked at the title and planning position, we arrange a site visit if the land looks suitable. Send the address or postcode to start.

Get a straight answer about your land

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