Sell a Building for Conversion in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
In England, some offices, shops and barns can become homes through permitted development with prior approval rather than a full planning application. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. Land to Homes checks which route applies to your building in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire and whether its structure, layout and daylight can produce good homes.
Aberdeen & AberdeenshireFree 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 Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Our Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire coverage takes in 5 towns and cities, centred on Aberdeen and including Inverurie, Stonehaven and Fraserburgh. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Moray, Angus & Dundee and Perth & Kinross.
In and around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, the land we appraise ranges from redundant commercial buildings to land that already has planning permission, including former garage blocks and yards. As Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire 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 AB10 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Building regulations apply
Changing a building to homes brings in building regulations or, in Scotland, a building warrant, covering fire safety, sound insulation, energy efficiency and escape routes. These often drive conversion costs.
Light, depth and layout
Deep office floors and small windows can make poor homes. Habitable rooms need adequate natural light, so we test whether the building can provide good layouts before making an offer.
Direct purchase of buildings
Where a building suits us, we can buy it ourselves, with or without consent, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract. Any offer is set out in writing.
Planning route identified
We check whether permitted development with prior approval could apply, or whether a full application, and possibly listed building consent, is needed. The route shapes cost, risk and value.
Planning and land rules in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Planning obligations in Scotland are made under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and can cover affordable housing and infrastructure. Once registered against the title, they can bind future owners. Under NPF4, national and major developments must also leave biodiversity in a demonstrably better state. These costs shape what development land near Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire is worth, which is why our free appraisal explains them before any offer or promotion terms are agreed.
Class MA and Class Q do not apply in Scotland. Scotland has its own, narrower permitted development right for converting some agricultural and forestry buildings to homes, with prior approval and limits. Most other conversions need full planning permission, plus listed building consent where relevant and a building warrant. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax applies.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| 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) |
| Land registration | Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) |
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Will VAT be charged when I sell my commercial building?
It may be, if you have opted to tax it. However, a buyer who intends to convert the building into homes can, in many cases, give you a certificate that disapplies the option to tax. The rules are technical, so ask your accountant before agreeing terms.
Can a chapel or church be converted into homes?
Often, yes, with full planning permission, and listed building consent if it is listed. A buyer will check the title for covenants imposed by the original religious body, any burial ground, and access. Many chapels convert well because of their volume and tall windows, but parking and neighbours need care.
What makes a building suitable for conversion to homes?
Good natural light, a sensible floor depth, adequate ceiling heights, a sound structure, room for bin and bike stores, and a location where people want to live. Buildings that need major structural work, or whose windows cannot light every habitable room, are harder and more expensive to convert.
What is an asset of community value?
In England, a community group can ask the council to list a building such as a pub or hall as an asset of community value. If a listed asset is put up for sale, a moratorium can give community groups a chance to bid, but it does not force you to sell to them. Scotland has its own community right to buy.
Is Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, including Fraserburgh, Stonehaven and Aberdeen. 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.
Read more: Sell a Building for Conversion · Guide: How is development land valued?