Free Site Appraisal in County Down
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in County Down has realistic potential for new homes. Our free appraisal starts with a desktop review of official planning documents, maps and title records, and may lead to a site visit. You get a plain-English view on prospects, risks and next steps.
County DownFree 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 and sites near County Down
Across County Down, we cover Bangor (County Down) and 5 other towns, among them Newry, Newtownards and Downpatrick. Next door, we also cover County Antrim, County Armagh and County Tyrone.
Around County Down we look at land behind street frontages, infill gaps along existing streets and paddocks on the edge of Bangor (County Down). Planning in County Down follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
If you own land near County Down, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Our approach in County Down
No obligation, no cost
The appraisal is free and there is no obligation to go any further. If your land is unlikely to suit new homes, we will tell you plainly and explain why.
Routes explained
We set out which deals could suit your land, from direct purchase and conditional contracts to options, promotion agreements and joint ventures, with the trade-offs of each.
Planning policy reviewed
We read the adopted development plan, its policies map and any emerging plan, and note how your land is treated: within a settlement boundary, allocated, protected or open countryside.
Services and drainage
We check where sewers, water mains and power run, and flag where limited capacity, long connections or drainage design could add significant cost to a scheme.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in County Down
In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around County Down 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, we check the council's local development plan or the older area plan still in force, the SPPS, the Department for Infrastructure's flood maps, historic environment records held by the Department for Communities, and title held by Land & Property Services. We also look at wastewater capacity, which is a constraint in some areas.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A 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 contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Your questions answered for County Down
Will you contact my neighbours or the council?
Not without your agreement. We use what you share to assess your land and discuss it with you. Our desktop review relies on published records and mapping. If talking to a neighbour or the council would help, we will ask you first and explain why.
What does a free site appraisal include?
It covers local planning policy, constraints such as flood risk and heritage, access to the road, title issues, services, and an indication of the kind of scheme that might fit. It ends with a view on the realistic routes for your land. It is not a formal valuation, and it is not legal advice.
Will you need to visit my land?
Often, if the desktop review shows realistic potential. We will arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain what we want to look at, such as the access point, boundaries and ground conditions. Many sites can be ruled in or out without a visit.
Will the appraisal tell me what my land is worth?
Not as a formal valuation. We explain the factors that drive development land value for your site, such as the likely number of homes, local sale values and build costs. If we make an offer later, it will be in writing. For a formal valuation, instruct a chartered surveyor.
Do you work with landowners in County Down?
We do. We work with landowners across County Down, including Newry, Castlereagh and Newtownards. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Free Site Appraisal · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know