Free Site Appraisal in Edinburgh & the Lothians
Before you spend money on surveys or advisers, find out whether your land in Edinburgh & the Lothians 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.
Edinburgh & the LothiansFree 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 Edinburgh & the Lothians
We cover 4 places across Edinburgh & the Lothians: Edinburgh is the main one, alongside Livingston, Musselburgh and Bathgate. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Fife, Forth Valley and Lanarkshire.
Typical sites we review near Edinburgh & the Lothians include large and long rear gardens, corner plots and side gardens and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. Because Edinburgh & the Lothians is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Edinburgh & the Lothians.
Our approach in Edinburgh & the Lothians
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.
Title and boundaries
We read the title register and plan for covenants, rights of way and easements that could affect development, and flag anything your solicitor should look at more closely.
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.
The Scottish system, as it applies in Edinburgh & the Lothians
If you own land on the edge of Edinburgh & the Lothians, its prospects in Scotland depend largely on the Local Development Plan, which allocates sites for housing, and on NPF4 policies such as those on local living, infrastructure and quality homes. An option or promotion agreement lets a partner fund the planning case while you keep ownership until a sale. With Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees on these agreements are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
In Scotland, we check the Local Development Plan and NPF4, SEPA's flood maps, Historic Environment Scotland designations, and whether the land is croft land. Title is read from the Land Register or, for older titles, the Register of Sasines kept by Registers of Scotland. Former coalfield areas may need a Coal Authority check.
| 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 Edinburgh & the Lothians
What information do I need to provide for a site appraisal?
A postcode or rough boundary is enough to start. It helps to add the title number if you know it, the current use, any planning history, any tenancies, and known issues such as drainage or access disputes. Photos and existing reports are useful but not essential.
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.
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.
Is Edinburgh & the Lothians an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Edinburgh & the Lothians, including Bathgate, Livingston and Musselburgh. 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: Option agreement or promotion agreement: what is the difference?