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Sell land subject to planning in Washington

If you own land in or around Washington, 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
  • No commission: we're the buyer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them

Get an offer for land in Washington

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

Where Washington sits

Land around Washington falls under England's planning system. The closest towns we also cover are Chester-le-Street, 4 miles away, and Felling, 4 miles away, and Newcastle upon Tyne is 6 miles away.

Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and the surrounding boroughs, with brownfield land in the urban core and green belt on the fringe.

TownWashington
CountyTyne and Wear
CountryEngland
Postcode districtNE37
OS grid squareNZ35
Nearest towns we coverChester-le-Street (4 mi), Felling (4 mi), Houghton-le-Spring (5 mi)
Distance from Newcastle upon TyneAbout 6 miles south-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

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

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • 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

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.

Deposit

A deposit is usually paid on exchange and held until completion.

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 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. The legal work

    Your solicitor and ours handle the contract through to completion.

Planning and legal points for land in Tyne and Wear

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 want to know what 'acceptable' permission means

The contract defines it, such as a minimum number of homes. Your solicitor should check it carefully.

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
  • 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

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.

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.

Do you cover the villages around Washington?

Yes. Villages between Washington, Chester-le-Street and Felling often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

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

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