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Sell land subject to planning in Smethwick

For owners in Smethwick and the B66 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 commission: we're the buyer
  • Figures explained, so you can check them
  • No pressure to decide

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

Where Smethwick sits

From Smethwick, it's 2 miles to West Bromwich and 3 miles to Birmingham. We buy land across that whole stretch of the West Midlands, not only within the town.

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

TownSmethwick
CountyWest Midlands
CountryEngland
Postcode districtB66
OS grid squareSP08
Nearest towns we coverWest Bromwich (2 mi), Birmingham (3 mi), Aston (4 mi)
Distance from BirminghamAbout 3 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

Who a subject-to-planning sale works best for

  • Building plots and garden land without permission
  • Brownfield sites needing a housing permission
  • Owners willing to wait for a higher price
  • 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.

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.

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. 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.

Planning and legal points for land in the West Midlands

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.

Awkward details we deal with

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

  • A rough size, in acres or hectares
  • Any planning applications or letters
  • Photos of the land and its access
  • How soon you'd ideally like to sell

Questions from landowners near Smethwick

What happens if planning is refused?

We may appeal if the contract allows. If permission isn't secured by the long-stop date, the contract ends and you keep your land.

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 cover the villages around Smethwick?

Yes. Villages between Smethwick, West Bromwich and Birmingham often have the kind of edge-of-settlement land we're looking for.

Ready to talk about your land in Smethwick?

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