Land and new homes in Lerwick
Land to Homes buys land and partners with landowners in Lerwick, then takes suitable sites through planning, design and construction to new homes for sale, for rent and for affordable housing. Landowners start with a free site appraisal; home seekers can register their interest.
Lerwick · ZE1Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Where Lerwick fits
Lerwick sits about 215 miles north-east of Inverness in Highlands & Islands, in the ZE1 postcode district. Close by, our coverage also takes in Kirkwall, Thurso and Fraserburgh.
Typical sites we review near Lerwick include infill gaps along existing streets, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and small holdings and pony paddocks. Planning in Lerwick follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Tell us where your land is around Lerwick and we will explain the routes open to you.
Services in Lerwick
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Lerwick
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Lerwick
- Sell Land Without Planning in Lerwick
- Land Option Agreements in Lerwick
- Land Promotion Agreements in Lerwick
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Lerwick
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Lerwick
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Lerwick
- Sell Brownfield Land in Lerwick
- Sell an Infill Plot in Lerwick
- Land Assembly and Access in Lerwick
- Free Site Appraisal in Lerwick
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Lerwick
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Lerwick
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Lerwick
- New Home Construction in Lerwick
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Lerwick
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Lerwick
- New Homes to Rent in Lerwick
- Affordable Housing in Lerwick
- Social Housing in Lerwick
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Lerwick
Funders and partners
Planning and land rules in Lerwick
If you own land on the edge of Lerwick, its prospects in Scotland depend largely on the Local Development Plan, which allocates sites for housing, and on NPF4 policies such as those on local living, infrastructure and quality homes. An option or promotion agreement lets a partner fund the planning case while you keep ownership until a sale. With Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees on these agreements are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
Scotland's buying process for new homes near Lerwick runs through missives and settlement, with the title registered in the Land Register of Scotland. There is no Home Report on the first sale of a new home, so ask the developer about the warranty, specification and snagging arrangements. Affordable options include social rent from councils and housing associations and, in some cases, shared equity. Land to Homes invites you to register interest while its plans develop.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| In-principle consent | Planning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions |
| How a sale becomes binding | Land sales are concluded through missives, formal letters exchanged between solicitors that become a binding contract once concluded, followed by settlement on the date of entry and registration in the Land Register of Scotland. |
| Developer contributions | Section 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments |
Land and homes in Lerwick: questions
How is the price of development land worked out?
Development land is usually valued by working back from what the finished homes would be worth, then deducting build costs, infrastructure, planning obligations such as affordable housing, fees, finance and a developer's margin. This is called a residual valuation. We do not quote land values online; our free appraisal explains the factors that affect your site.
What is planning permission?
Planning permission is consent from the planning authority to carry out development, such as building new homes or changing the use of land. Applications are judged against the local development plan and national policy, which differ in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Permission can be full, or outline, which is called planning permission in principle in Scotland.
Who decides who gets an affordable or social home?
Councils and housing associations, not developers. They set eligibility, usually based on income, housing need and sometimes a local connection, and allocate homes through their own lists or sales processes. In Northern Ireland, social homes are allocated through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's common waiting list. Land to Homes does not allocate homes.
Do I need my own solicitor to sell land?
Yes. Every landowner should have their own solicitor on a land sale or agreement, and many also use a land agent or chartered surveyor. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms before you instruct anyone.
Is Lerwick an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Lerwick and elsewhere in Highlands & Islands, including Stornoway, Kirkwall and Thurso. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.