North Northamptonshire is a large and varied planning authority rather than one uniform land market. Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough have distinct growth patterns; Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Thrapston, Oundle and Raunds serve different markets; and the rural north and east contain villages, agricultural holdings and environmental networks with their own constraints.
At Value My Land, we assess agricultural land, paddocks, brownfield and employment sites, village-edge parcels and strategic holdings across the authority. We compare current planning status, the new North Northamptonshire Local Plan, transport corridors, infrastructure, market demand, flood risk, landscape, ecology and deliverability.
Land across North Northamptonshire must be considered within the authority’s wider settlement hierarchy and emerging single Local Plan. The distribution of growth across the former Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire areas can affect site competition, infrastructure priorities, planning prospects and buyer demand.
Our initial assessment is free and without obligation. It distinguishes current-use value, site-specific hope value and the potential value of land that later receives policy support or planning permission.
Do You Own Land in North Northamptonshire? Discover What Your Land Could Be Worth
Authority-wide scope: this page covers North Northamptonshire, including the former Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire areas. For a broader comparison of land values and development considerations across the historic county, see our Northamptonshire land-value guide.
Obtaining planning permission can significantly increase the value of land, making it one of the most important factors influencing its market value. Determining whether land is suitable for development involves much more than location alone. Councils assess a wide range of factors, including planning policy, access and highways, landscape, ecology, flood risk, drainage, heritage, utilities and infrastructure. Whilst no single factor guarantees planning permission, land that benefits from a combination of favourable characteristics is generally more likely to be considered suitable for development, increasing both its market value and long-term development potential.
The location of your land is one of the most important factors when assessing its development potential. Land situated close to existing towns, villages, schools, shops, employment areas and public transport is often more attractive to both developers and local planning authorities. Sites that naturally extend existing communities are generally considered more suitable for future residential or commercial development.
Planning policy plays a major role in determining whether land may be suitable for development. Councils prepare Local Plans to identify where future homes and employment growth should take place. Land that aligns with national planning policy, emerging Local Plans or areas identified for future growth may have a greater opportunity of securing planning permission over time.
Safe and practical access is essential for almost every development. Councils will consider whether vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists can safely access the site, together with the effect on the surrounding road network. Land that can be connected to existing highways without significant improvements is often viewed more favourably when assessing future development opportunities.
The surrounding landscape can significantly influence whether land is suitable for development. Factors such as topography, existing trees, hedgerows, important views and the relationship with neighbouring development are carefully considered. Sites that can be sensitively integrated into the surrounding landscape whilst retaining important natural features generally offer greater development potential.
Wildlife and environmental considerations form an important part of the planning process. Existing habitats, protected species, mature trees, hedgerows and nearby nature conservation sites are all assessed. Land with fewer ecological constraints, or where habitats can be protected and enhanced through thoughtful design, may provide stronger opportunities for future development.
Flood risk is an important consideration when assessing land for development. Sites with a lower risk of flooding are generally more suitable, although many locations can still be successfully developed with appropriate drainage solutions. Councils will also consider how surface water can be managed through sustainable drainage systems to reduce future flood risk.
Historic buildings, conservation areas and archaeological remains can all influence the development potential of land. Planning authorities will assess whether development could affect the significance or setting of heritage assets. Land with limited heritage constraints, or where sensitive design can preserve local character, is often easier to bring forward for development.
Access to essential infrastructure can influence how easily a site can be developed. This includes electricity, water, drainage, broadband, gas and nearby community facilities such as schools and healthcare. Land that can be connected to existing services without significant investment is generally more attractive from both a planning and development perspective.
Every site is unique, and no single factor determines whether planning permission can be achieved. A successful assessment considers all planning, environmental and technical matters together to understand the site's overall suitability. By reviewing each of these considerations, it is possible to identify both the opportunities and constraints that could affect future development potential.
The latest land value estimates for North Northamptonshire, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), indicate that residential development land with planning permission could be worth between £500,000 and £850,000 per acre. These figures highlight the significant uplift in value that can be achieved when suitable land secures planning consent. Residential development land values can vary significantly across North Northamptonshire depending on location, planning status, density, infrastructure costs, abnormal development costs and market demand. However, land with planning permission for housing can be worth substantially more than land used for agriculture, grazing, equestrian or amenity purposes. These potential value differences highlight why it is important to obtain a professional assessment before deciding whether to sell or promote land.
The difference becomes particularly clear when development land values are compared with agricultural land prices across the Midlands. Recent agricultural land market evidence provides the following broad regional benchmarks:
On this basis, residential development land with planning permission could be worth more than 100 times the typical value of agricultural land. This demonstrates why landowners should investigate whether their agricultural, paddock, equestrian or amenity land may have development potential before deciding to sell.
At Value My Land, we help landowners understand the development potential of their land and the steps required to increase its value. Where appropriate, we manage and fund the entire planning process at our own cost and risk, allowing landowners to increase the value of their land without incurring any upfront costs or taking on any financial or planning risk.
See how agricultural land is valued in the UK, including land quality, access, location, tenure, market demand and development potential. Our evergreen guide explains why price-per-acre evidence is only a starting point and how site-specific factors can affect farmland value.
Read Our Agricultural Land Value GuideThe central valuation issue across North Northamptonshire is comparative performance. The authority must choose between sites in different towns and rural areas, each with different infrastructure, environmental and market implications. A parcel should therefore be judged against reasonable alternatives as well as against its own physical characteristics.
Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Thrapston, Oundle, Raunds and smaller settlements serve different functions. A strategic extension to a principal town may support a different scale and infrastructure package from a village-edge site. The valuation must identify the market and policy role the land can realistically perform.
North Northamptonshire benefits from strong east–west and north–south connections. Strategic accessibility can support housing, logistics and employment demand, but individual sites still need safe local access, sustainable travel, adequate junction capacity and suitable servicing. Major-road proximity is an opportunity only where the last-mile solution works.
The current development plan is assembled from the Joint Core Strategy and former-area Part 2 plans. The new Local Plan will replace them with one authority-wide framework. Land value may change as settlement roles, allocations and infrastructure priorities are reconsidered, but adopted policies remain the present baseline.
The Nene and Ise catchments, wetlands, woodland and nature-recovery priorities influence flood risk, drainage, ecology and green infrastructure. These assets cross former council boundaries, so a strategic site may need to contribute to authority-wide environmental networks. The net developable area should be calculated after those requirements.
Different parts of the authority attract different uses. Corby has a strong industrial and logistics base, Kettering and Wellingborough combine housing and employment demand, and A14 locations may attract freight-related interest. The highest value use must be policy-supported, marketable and deliverable rather than theoretically possible.
Large sites may need schools, transport, utilities, drainage and community facilities, while smaller sites can be easier to deliver but less able to fund strategic works. The new Local Plan will compare infrastructure and delivery risk. A valuation should reflect phasing, sales absorption and the probability of selection.
Development value is the result of several connected planning, technical and commercial judgements. The following indicators help explain why apparently similar parcels can attract very different levels of interest.
The current development plan combines the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, adopted in July 2016, with the Part 2 plans for Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire. Those documents continue to govern allocations, settlement boundaries and local policy while a single replacement plan is prepared.
The North Northamptonshire Local Plan 2024–2045 entered the new plan-making process in 2026. The scoping consultation and Call for Sites ran from 20 May to 1 July 2026. A summary is due to be published, Gateway 1 is scheduled for August 2026 and consultation on proposed plan content and evidence is programmed for October and November 2026.
North Northamptonshire’s strategy remains urban-focused, with Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden acting as the principal growth towns and sustainable urban extensions forming key delivery components. Rural and market-town opportunities still require evidence of local role, services and deliverability.
The Part 2 policy baseline differs between Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire. A district-wide label is not enough to identify allocation or constraint status.
Scoping is complete and the next evidence consultation is scheduled for autumn 2026. Submitted sites will be compared through the plan process rather than accepted on availability alone.
Existing growth areas at Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden affect infrastructure, housing delivery, employment land and the timing of any additional strategic allocations.
Land promotion is the process of improving the planning position and development potential of land before it is sold. Rather than selling land at existing agricultural, paddock, equestrian or amenity value, the objective is to secure a Local Plan allocation or planning permission that can substantially increase the land's value.
At Value My Land, we fund the entire land promotion and planning process at our own cost and risk. This enables you to increase your land's value without incurring any upfront costs or taking on any financial or planning risk. If planning permission is not secured, we write off all costs incurred, ensuring there is no cost or financial risk to you.
Our fees are charged as a pre-agreed percentage of the final sale proceeds and are only payable once your land has been successfully sold. Every term is agreed in advance, providing complete transparency from the outset.
Because our fee is directly linked to the value achieved on the sale, our objective is exactly the same as yours - to maximise the value of your land. Our interests are therefore fully aligned with yours.
The landowner normally retains ownership throughout the land promotion process. Value My Land assesses the site, agrees a planning strategy, appoints and manages the necessary consultants, prepares supporting evidence and promotes the land through the most appropriate planning route.
Every site is different. The strategy may involve a Call for Sites submission, Local Plan promotion, HELAA or SHLAA representations, engagement with the council or the preparation and submission of a planning application.
The objective is to strengthen the planning position, reduce uncertainty and make the land more attractive to developers before it is marketed competitively.
A successful land promotion strategy combines planning expertise, technical evidence and ongoing engagement with the council. The process may take several years, but where planning is successfully achieved, it can significantly increase the value of the land.
We assess the site's location, relationship with nearby settlements, planning designations, access arrangements, surrounding development and environmental constraints. This initial review helps establish whether the land has realistic development potential and whether a detailed promotion strategy should be considered.
Where the land appears suitable, we identify the most appropriate route through the planning system. This may involve a Call for Sites submission, Local Plan promotion, consideration through a HELAA or SHLAA assessment or the preparation of a planning application.
Where appropriate, specialist surveys and technical reports may be commissioned to assess highways, flood risk, drainage, ecology, landscape, heritage, utilities and other site-specific considerations. An illustrative masterplan or concept layout may also be prepared to demonstrate how development could be delivered.
The land is actively promoted by preparing submissions, responding to consultations, engaging with the council and presenting evidence that the site is suitable, available and deliverable. The strategy is kept under review as planning policies and local circumstances change.
The objective is to secure a Local Plan allocation, planning permission or another improved planning position that increases the land's value and attractiveness to developers. The land can then be marketed competitively with the aim of achieving the highest sale price.
Value My Land can assist from the initial assessment through to planning strategy, technical coordination, Local Plan promotion, planning submissions and the eventual marketing of the land. We help landowners understand the process, identify realistic opportunities and make informed decisions about the future of their land.
Land promotion is not suitable for every site and planning success cannot be guaranteed. However, where land has genuine development potential, a carefully managed strategy can provide an opportunity to achieve a substantially higher value than would ordinarily be available from its existing use.
Learn how land promotion works, the difference between Promotion and Option Agreements, who pays for planning and technical work, how long the process can take and how successful promotion can significantly increase land value.
Read the Complete GuideThe authority contains four growth towns, separate market towns, strategic road and rail corridors, major urban extensions and environmentally sensitive river valleys. It cannot be valued as one homogeneous market.
Corby combines strategic housing delivery, industrial land, regeneration and A43-connected employment opportunities with a substantial existing pipeline.
Kettering, Burton Latimer, Rothwell and Desborough create residential, employment and logistics markets shaped by the A14 and Hanwood Park.
Wellingborough’s rail connection, Stanton Cross, employment areas and River Nene constraints create a distinct balance of opportunity and delivery risk.
Rushden East, Higham Ferrers, Raunds, Thrapston and Oundle each have different growth, heritage, transport and settlement-policy considerations.
Flood risk, gravel-pit habitats, the Special Protection Area and wider green infrastructure can materially affect capacity and mitigation requirements.
Smaller settlements require evidence on services, highways, landscape, agricultural context and local need; strategic-road proximity alone is not enough.
The assessment compares the major towns, market towns, villages and strategic corridors, including differences in access, services, infrastructure capacity, environmental constraints and buyer demand.
Larger urban and strategic opportunities with significant housing, employment and infrastructure considerations.
Sites where scale, settlement character and local service capacity guide the realistic development concept.
Agricultural, village-edge, employment and strategic land requiring careful comparison of access, landscape, ecology and infrastructure.
For parcels clearly related to a principal town, use the detailed Corby, Kettering or Wellingborough assessment alongside the wider North Northamptonshire context.
Search our live planning pages to identify current opportunities for promoting land through the planning system. You can find open Call for Sites exercises, monitor the progress of emerging and reviewed Local Plans and identify current HELAA and SHLAA assessments being undertaken by local councils. These resources can help landowners understand when councils are seeking new development sites, where future growth may be planned and when land can be submitted for consideration for housing, employment or mixed-use development.
Search live and rolling opportunities to put land forward to Local Planning Authorities across England, with current submission information and links to the relevant council pages.
Explore guideFollow Local Plan preparation, consultation, submission, examination and adoption activity to understand where future land-promotion and site-allocation opportunities may arise.
Explore guideFind identified live and rolling HELAA, SHLAA, SHELAA and related land-submission opportunities where councils are currently accepting or continuing to receive sites.
Explore guideAugust 2026 National Policy
The final National Planning Policy Framework took effect for decision-making on 17 August 2026. It changes the national route used to assess development opportunities in North Northamptonshire, but it does not replace the need for a site-specific review of local policy, access, constraints, infrastructure and deliverability.
Policy S3 now directs proposals within a settlement to policy S4 and proposals outside a settlement to policy S5. For land in North Northamptonshire, the adopted policies map, any defined settlement boundary and the precise position of the whole site should therefore be checked before drawing conclusions from nearby development.
Policy L2 gives substantial weight to the benefits of remediating degraded or contaminated land and making better use of vacant, underused and previously developed land. That support is important, but it does not remove access, design, flood-risk, ecology, heritage, amenity or infrastructure requirements.
Grey belt is now defined as previously developed Green Belt land and/or other Green Belt land that does not strongly contribute to purposes A, B or D. Protected landscapes, habitats, heritage and flood risk are separate policy tests. Development must follow the applicable GB7 route and, for relevant major housing, the GB8 Golden Rules.
A five-year housing land supply shortfall or Housing Delivery Test result below 75% can evidence unmet housing need for policy S5(1)(j). That route is location-specific, requires the site to be physically well-related to a settlement and appropriately scaled for infrastructure, and does not itself apply as the development route within the Green Belt.
The new framework can alter the probability and route of obtaining planning permission in North Northamptonshire; it does not automatically convert land to residential development value. A valuation should reflect the evidence, likely timescale, policy contributions, net developable area and remaining planning risk.
Read the National Planning Policy Framework published on 17 August 2026.
The authority-wide market includes strategic growth, employment corridors, market-town opportunities and rural settlement land.
Large parcels related to planned growth at the four principal towns where masterplanning, infrastructure, phasing and delivery are central.
Sites adjoining Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden and the smaller towns where settlement policy and local capacity shape prospects.
Land near the A14, A45, A43 and established employment locations where access, servicing, power and demand influence value.
Farm, estate and village-edge land where landscape, ecology, highways, local services and settlement hierarchy require individual analysis.
North Northamptonshire contains several distinct towns, strategic growth areas, employment corridors and extensive rural settlements. A district-wide assessment must identify the relevant legacy plan area, the site’s relationship with the settlement hierarchy and the infrastructure or environmental constraints affecting deliverability.
Larger fields adjoining Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden or other growth settlements are assessed against the correct plan strategy, access, landscape, drainage, utilities, education and transport capacity. Scale can create opportunity, but it also increases infrastructure and phasing risk.
Land within or beside established strategic growth locations requires review of masterplans, permissions, developer control, infrastructure triggers and delivery phasing. A parcel near a sustainable urban extension or garden-community proposal may still have a materially different status and value.
Paddocks, smallholdings and agricultural parcels near the authority’s market towns and villages are considered for settlement fit, local services, access, landscape, ecology and drainage. Development potential is highly sensitive to the role and scale of the adjoining settlement.
Former industrial, extraction and previously developed sites can offer regeneration potential but may carry contamination, infill, ground-stability, remediation and access costs. Existing uses, biodiversity, heritage and the viability of the intended scheme are central to valuation.
Strategic employment and logistics sites are reviewed for motorway and trunk-road access, HGV routing, power, water, servicing, workforce catchment and market demand. The usable development platform and infrastructure burden often matter more than the headline site area.
Use our wider guide to compare the principal categories of development land and understand why agricultural, brownfield, commercial, Green Belt and strategic sites require different evidence and valuation methods.
Read the Complete GuideUse our Land Assessment Tool to assess the development potential of your land. A low score does not necessarily mean your land cannot obtain planning permission. We always recommend that a full detailed assessment is undertaken by us.
Start answering the questions to discover your land’s development potential.
This tool provides an indicative assessment only. For a more accurate and detailed assessment, we recommend that a full professional appraisal is undertaken by our experts.
Our experts can provide a more detailed assessment and help unlock the full value of your land.
At Value My Land, we help North Northamptonshire landowners understand whether their land may have development potential.
If you would like a free, no-obligation assessment of your land, simply send us the location of your site and we will carry out a high-level review of its development potential. We aim to make the process as straightforward as possible, so you do not need to provide detailed plans or technical information at this stage. Simply let us know where the land is located using one of the following:
Land values across North Northamptonshire vary between the principal towns, smaller settlements, strategic road corridors and rural areas. The answers below explain how the emerging authority-wide strategy, existing development plans, infrastructure, flood risk and environmental constraints affect site comparisons and promotion decisions.
The new Local Plan will make strategic choices across the whole unitary area rather than within four separate former councils. A site in Corby may compete with land in Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden, Thrapston or a rural location. That competition affects infrastructure priorities, settlement roles, deliverability and the relative planning prospects of each parcel. Read our planning-policy guide.
The scoping consultation and Call for Sites closed on 1 July 2026. The council’s published timetable anticipated formal commencement in August 2026 and consultation on proposed Local Plan content and evidence in October and November 2026. Later milestones include a proposed-plan consultation in 2027, examination in 2028 and intended adoption in January 2029. Timetables can change, so the latest council position should be checked before action is taken. Check the England Local Plan tracker.
No. The Joint Core Strategy and the former-area Part 2 plans remain part of the adopted development plan until they are replaced. Emerging policies gain weight gradually according to their stage, consistency and unresolved objections. Current land value must therefore start with the adopted map and policies, while longer-term hope value can reflect the emerging process on a cautious, probability-weighted basis. Read our Local Plan allocation guide.
The comparison should consider settlement role, market demand, adopted status, access, infrastructure, flood risk, landscape, ecology, utilities, net developable area, phasing and competing supply. The highest headline house prices or best road connection do not necessarily produce the highest residual land value. A site with lower gross value can be more attractive if it is easier and faster to deliver. Read how land is valued.
It can support an employment case, but only where local access, junction capacity, plot configuration, power, labour, neighbouring uses and market demand are suitable. Strategic-road frontage without a viable connection is not development land. Planning policy and environmental effects also matter. A commercial agent and transport consultant may be required before a logistics value is relied upon. Read our access and highways guide.
Land required for flood storage, habitat, woodland buffers, biodiversity net gain or green infrastructure may contribute to the scheme but should not be priced as built development acreage. The title should be divided into net developable, infrastructure, mitigation and retained areas. Environmental land can add planning and placemaking value, but it also carries management and delivery costs. Read our ecology guide.
The council will use submissions as part of its evidence and plan preparation. Sites may be assessed, excluded, carried forward or considered in later alternatives. Submission does not guarantee publication in a land-availability assessment, draft allocation or final plan. Landowners should retain evidence, monitor consultation and respond when the council seeks views on content, evidence or proposed allocations. Read our Call for Sites guide.
We can undertake an initial review across the authority. Where land has a credible planning and commercial route, we can discuss promotion, technical work and commercial terms. The strategy will differ according to whether the parcel is a town extension, village site, brownfield opportunity or employment location. We do not treat every submitted site as suitable, and the initial assessment is intended to identify that distinction. Learn how land promotion works.
If you own land in North Northamptonshire and would like to understand its potential development value, we can help. Our team will undertake an initial review of your site and provide an honest assessment of its prospects.
Whether you own agricultural land, Green Belt land, paddocks or larger strategic holdings, understanding your options is the first step towards unlocking value.
Request your FREE, no-obligation land assessment today and discover whether your land could have development potential.
Phone
0800 061 4006Office
13 Ensign Business Centre
Westwood Way
Coventry
CV4 8JA
