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Sell land subject to planning in Newmarket

If you own land in or around Newmarket, 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.

  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

Tell us about your land

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

Newmarket at a glance

Newmarket (CB8) sits in OS grid square TL66, about 34 miles west of Ipswich. Sites between here and Mildenhall or Ely are just as much of interest to us.

Arable farmland, the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape and Dedham Vale. Suffolk has no designated green belt.

TownNewmarket
CountySuffolk
CountryEngland
Postcode districtCB8
OS grid squareTL66
Nearest towns we coverMildenhall (8 mi), Haverhill (11 mi), Ely (12 mi)
Distance from IpswichAbout 34 miles 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

Is a subject-to-planning sale right for your land?

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Small sites with a clear planning case
  • Owners willing to wait for a higher price
  • 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.

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.

Price adjustments

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

How a sale works

  1. Tell us about your land

    Send the postcode or address and a rough size.

  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.

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.

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
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Details of any tenants or grazing agreements
  • Photos of the land and its access

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

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.

Can I still use the land before completion?

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

How do I get an offer for land in Newmarket?

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.

Get a straight answer about your land

Send the postcode and a rough size. We'll check the title and planning position and come back to you.