Free Site Appraisal in County Londonderry
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in County Londonderry 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 LondonderryFree 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
Our coverage in County Londonderry
We cover 4 places across County Londonderry: Derry/Londonderry is the main one, alongside Magherafelt, Limavady and Coleraine. Neighbouring areas we also cover include County Tyrone, County Antrim and County Armagh.
Sites worth a conversation around County Londonderry: former garage blocks and yards, land behind street frontages and backland plots with a workable access. Planning in County Londonderry follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Tell us where your land is around County Londonderry and we will explain the routes open to you.
How we work in County Londonderry
Indicative scheme
Where prospects look reasonable, we outline what might fit as a broad indication rather than a design, so you can understand the likely scale and form of development.
Constraints mapped
Flood zones, conservation areas, listed buildings, protected trees, ecological designations and landscape protections are all checked against your boundary using official mapping and published public records.
Access and highways
We look at road frontage, the likely junction position and visibility, and whether the adopted highway actually reaches your land or stops short of it.
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.
How the rules work in County Londonderry
In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around County Londonderry 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) |
Questions about Free Site Appraisal in County Londonderry
Does a site appraisal mean I will get planning permission?
No. Nobody can promise planning permission, because the decision rests with the planning authority, or on appeal. The appraisal gives an informed view of prospects and risks, based on policy and constraints, so you can decide whether pursuing planning is worth the time and cost.
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 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.
Can I ask for an appraisal on land I am selling for someone else?
Yes, if you are acting for the owner, for example as an executor, trustee, attorney or land agent. We will need to understand your authority before discussing terms. If you are a buyer looking at land, a planning consultant or surveyor can advise you independently.
Is County Londonderry an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across County Londonderry, including Magherafelt, Coleraine and Limavady. 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: Free Site Appraisal · Guide: How to sell land for development