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For landowners · Northern Ireland

Sell Brownfield Land in County Armagh

Can I sell brownfield land for housing in County Armagh?

What a brownfield site in County Armagh is worth for homes depends less on its size than on what lies underneath and next door. Our free, no-obligation appraisal looks at former uses, likely ground conditions, flood risk, access and any business tenants, then explains whether a direct sale, conditional contract or promotion suits the site.

Excavator clearing a former industrial yard beside Victorian terraced housesCounty Armagh

Free 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

Land we look at around County Armagh

Across County Armagh, we cover Portadown and 2 other towns, among them Armagh and Lurgan. Next door, we also cover County Down, County Antrim and County Tyrone.

Around County Armagh we look at infill gaps along existing streets, paddocks on the edge of Portadown and former garage blocks and yards. In Northern Ireland, where County Armagh sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.

A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near County Armagh.

Our approach in County Armagh

Demolition and asbestos

Older buildings often contain asbestos, which must be surveyed and removed by licensed specialists where required before demolition. These costs feed into the price, so an early survey supports a firmer offer.

Neighbouring uses considered

New homes next to workshops, busy roads or late-night venues need protection from noise and smells. In England and Wales, the agent of change principle can put the cost of mitigation on the new development.

Direct purchase of brownfield sites

Where a brownfield site suits us, we can buy it ourselves, with or without planning and with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.

Flood risk and drainage

Some brownfield sites sit in flood zones or rely on old drainage. Flood policy may require a sequential test, showing that no suitable sites at lower risk are reasonably available.

The Northern Irish system, as it applies in County Armagh

In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around County Armagh are decided by the local district council, one of 11, while the Department for Infrastructure decides regionally significant schemes. Councils apply the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and their Local Development Plan, together with retained planning policy statements until their Plan Strategy is adopted. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal and can buy suitable land directly or promote it through planning.

In Northern Ireland, the SPPS encourages the reuse of brownfield land within settlements. Contamination is usually dealt with through planning conditions, with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency consulted, and flood risk is checked against the Department for Infrastructure's flood maps. Councils may want evidence before releasing land zoned for economic use. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies.

Key rules in County Armagh
National planning policyStrategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy
Local planning documentLocal Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan
Who decides applicationsThe 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationLand & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds)
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding when contracts signed by both parties are exchanged and finishes on completion, with the title registered in the Land Registry at Land & Property Services.
Developer contributionsSection 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy)

Your questions answered for County Armagh

What counts as brownfield land?

Brownfield, or previously developed land, is land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the land around it. Former yards, depots, garage blocks and commercial buildings usually qualify. Definitions vary by nation, and some exclude private gardens, agricultural buildings or sites where earlier remains have blended into the landscape.

Is it easier to get planning permission on brownfield land?

Usually it has stronger policy support than greenfield land, because national policy in each UK nation encourages the reuse of previously developed land. Permission is still not automatic: loss of employment land, heritage, flood risk, neighbours and design all matter, and a site in an area protected for business use may still struggle.

Will VAT apply when I sell my brownfield site?

It may. If you have opted to tax the land or buildings, VAT can apply to the sale price. Whether the option can be disapplied depends on what the buyer intends to do with the property, and the rules are technical. Ask your accountant before agreeing a price, because it affects what the buyer pays.

Do I need a contamination report before selling?

Not necessarily, but it helps. A desk study of past uses is relatively inexpensive and gives buyers confidence. If you hold older reports, share them. Buyers will usually carry out their own investigations anyway, both as part of their due diligence and because planning conditions often require them.

Do you buy land in County Armagh?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across County Armagh, including Portadown, Armagh and Lurgan. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.

Read more: Sell Brownfield Land · Guide: Green Belt and grey belt land explained

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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