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For landowners · County Londonderry

Free Site Appraisal in Derry/Londonderry

How do I get a free site appraisal in Derry/Londonderry?

Think of a free site appraisal in Derry/Londonderry as the first honest conversation about your land. It will not set a price or promise planning permission. It will tell you which constraints matter, whether access works, what the planning policy says, and which kind of deal, if any, makes sense to pursue.

Surveyor in hi-vis using a GPS rover pole in a grass field near a villageDerry/Londonderry · BT48

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 and sites near Derry/Londonderry

Derry/Londonderry (BT48) is the hub of our County Londonderry coverage, with 3 further towns covered. Close by, our coverage also takes in Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine.

In and around Derry/Londonderry, the land we appraise ranges from corner plots and side gardens to large and long rear gardens, including paddocks on the edge of Derry/Londonderry. Planning in Derry/Londonderry follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.

Send us a postcode in or near BT48 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

What we offer in Derry/Londonderry

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.

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.

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.

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.

Planning in Derry/Londonderry: the Northern Irish rules

Permission in Principle, an English route, does not apply in Northern Ireland. Instead, landowners near Derry/Londonderry usually seek outline or full planning permission from the council. Developer contributions are agreed under Section 76 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, and there is no Community Infrastructure Levy. Land to Homes can take on that process through an option or promotion agreement, or buy a suitable site directly, subject to survey, title and contract.

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.

Key rules in Derry/Londonderry
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
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
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.

Questions about Free Site Appraisal in Derry/Londonderry

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.

Is the site appraisal really free?

Yes. The appraisal is free and carries no obligation. You do not have to sign anything to receive it, and asking for one does not commit you to selling or entering any agreement. If you later decide to go ahead, any terms are set out in writing first.

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.

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.

Is Derry/Londonderry an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Derry/Londonderry and elsewhere in County Londonderry, including Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt. 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: Ransom strips and access: what landowners need to know

Free Site Appraisal elsewhere in County Londonderry

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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