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Sell land subject to planning in Rawtenstall

We offer a subject-to-planning sale on land across Lancashire, including sites around Rawtenstall, Accrington and Bury.

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

Get an offer for land in Rawtenstall

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.

Where Rawtenstall sits

Rawtenstall (BB4) sits in OS grid square SD82, roughly 18 miles east of Preston. Sites between here and Accrington or Burnley are just as much of interest to us.

Farmland on the coastal plain, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape inland, and green belt around Preston, Blackpool and the east Lancashire towns.

TownRawtenstall
CountyLancashire
CountryEngland
Postcode districtBB4
OS grid squareSD82
Nearest towns we coverAccrington (5 mi), Bury (7 mi), Burnley (7 mi)
Distance from PrestonAbout 18 miles 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

Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for

  • 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

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.

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.

Long-stop date

If permission isn't granted by an agreed date, either side can end the contract.

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.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

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

  2. We do the homework

    We read the title and planning record and check flood risk and access.

  3. We put an offer in writing

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

  4. Solicitors complete the sale

    Exchange and complete, or exchange now and complete when planning is granted.

Planning and legal points for land in Lancashire

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

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • A plan, or a screenshot from an online map
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Photos of the land and its access

Common questions

Who pays for the planning application?

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

Can I still use the land before completion?

Usually yes, until we need access for surveys or until completion.

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 Rawtenstall?

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.

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

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