Land and new homes in Stornoway
Land to Homes is a land and new-homes business covering Stornoway. We can buy suitable land directly, fund the planning on promotion and option deals, and deliver homes for sale, rent and affordable housing. Every land enquiry starts with a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Stornoway · HS1Free 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
Stornoway at a glance
Stornoway sits about 94 miles north-west of Inverness in Highlands & Islands, in the HS1 postcode district. Inverness is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 94 miles, followed by Thurso and Fort William.
Around Stornoway we look at small holdings and pony paddocks, former garage blocks and yards and redundant agricultural buildings. As Stornoway is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Send us a postcode in or near HS1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Services in Stornoway
For landowners
- Sell Land for Development in Stornoway
- Sell Land with Planning Permission in Stornoway
- Sell Land Without Planning in Stornoway
- Land Option Agreements in Stornoway
- Land Promotion Agreements in Stornoway
- Landowner Joint Ventures in Stornoway
- Sell Garden Land and Backland in Stornoway
- Sell Farmland and Paddocks in Stornoway
- Sell Brownfield Land in Stornoway
- Sell an Infill Plot in Stornoway
- Land Assembly and Access in Stornoway
- Free Site Appraisal in Stornoway
- Sell a Building for Conversion in Stornoway
Planning, design and build
- Planning Permission and Strategy in Stornoway
- Architecture and Masterplanning in Stornoway
- New Home Construction in Stornoway
- Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Stornoway
New homes and housing
- New-Build Homes for Sale in Stornoway
- New Homes to Rent in Stornoway
- Affordable Housing in Stornoway
- Social Housing in Stornoway
- Council and Housing Partnerships in Stornoway
Funders and partners
Planning in Stornoway: the Scottish rules
Land sales in Scotland are concluded through missives, an exchange of formal letters between solicitors. Once missives are concluded they form a binding contract, and the buyer takes entry at settlement, then registers the title with Registers of Scotland. For land near Stornoway, missives can be made conditional on planning permission in principle, so the sale only proceeds if consent is secured. The buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax to Revenue Scotland.
Scotland's buying process for new homes near Stornoway 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 |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area) |
| In-principle consent | Planning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) |
| Developer contributions | Section 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments |
Common questions in Stornoway
Can you guarantee my land will get planning permission?
No one can guarantee planning permission. Decisions rest with the planning authority or, on appeal, an independent appeal body. What we can do is assess the prospects honestly, prepare a thorough application and deal with likely objections early. If we think a site is unlikely to succeed, we will tell you before anyone spends time or money on it.
How do I sell land for development?
Start with an appraisal of what the land could take and the routes open to you: a direct sale, an option agreement or a promotion agreement. Then take independent advice from a solicitor and, ideally, a land agent before agreeing heads of terms. Land to Homes offers a free, no-obligation site appraisal and explains each route in writing.
Who pays for the planning application?
Usually the applicant pays the council fee and the cost of surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and the costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
Do you pay my legal fees?
On option and promotion agreements, yes. We pay your reasonable legal fees, and the amount is agreed up front in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor, so there are no surprises later. On a direct purchase, each side normally pays its own legal costs, and we will explain the position before you commit.
Is Stornoway an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Stornoway and elsewhere in Highlands & Islands, including Lerwick, Fort William and Inverness. 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.