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Sell land subject to planning in Birmingham

For owners in Birmingham and the B1 area, a subject-to-planning sale is worth understanding before you talk to any buyer, including us.

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 pressure to decide
  • Independent advice encouraged
  • We fund the planning work

Selling land near Birmingham?

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

Where Birmingham sits

The land we're most interested in near Birmingham sits on the edge of the built-up area or in the villages towards Aston (1 mile) and Smethwick (3 miles).

Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and the Black Country, with extensive brownfield land and the West Midlands green belt around the edges.

TownBirmingham
CountyWest Midlands
CountryEngland
Postcode districtB1
OS grid squareSP08
Nearest towns we coverAston (1 mi), Smethwick (3 mi), Washwood Heath (3 mi)
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?

  • 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

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.

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.

What happens next

  1. Send us the address

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

  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. 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 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
  • Your title number, if you know it
  • Photos of the land and its access

Questions from landowners near Birmingham

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 Birmingham?

Yes. We consider land in and around Birmingham and across the West Midlands. Whether we can make an offer depends on the land itself, especially its access and planning prospects, and we'll tell you either way.

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

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