Funding and Investment Partners in Musselburgh

Working together in Musselburgh

We cover Musselburgh as part of Edinburgh & the Lothians. It is about 6 miles east of Edinburgh, around postcode district EH21. The nearest other places we cover are Edinburgh (6 miles), Kirkcaldy (13 miles) and Glenrothes (18 miles).

Partnerships we can discuss around Musselburgh include council land brought forward for homes, forward-funded build to rent and joint ventures with landowners. As Musselburgh is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

Tell us about the opportunity near Musselburgh and the right person will call you back.

What we offer in Musselburgh

Development lenders

We discuss senior and mezzanine development finance with lenders on a site-by-site basis, with security and terms agreed through each party's solicitors.

Landowner co-investment

A landowner can keep an interest in their land through a joint venture rather than selling outright, with the terms set out in a written agreement.

Advice from your own advisers

We do not give legal, tax or financial advice. Every party should take independent advice before entering into any agreement with us.

Forward funding and purchase

For build to rent and affordable homes, we discuss forward funding and forward purchase structures with institutional and registered provider partners.

Planning in Musselburgh: the Scottish rules

Land sales in Scotland are concluded through missives, an exchange of formal letters between solicitors. Once missives are concluded they form a binding contract, and the buyer takes entry at settlement, then registers the title with Registers of Scotland. For land near Musselburgh, missives can be made conditional on planning permission in principle, so the sale only proceeds if consent is secured. The buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax to Revenue Scotland.

In Scotland, land transactions attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, and lenders take a standard security registered with Registers of Scotland rather than a legal charge. Contracts are concluded through missives, and planning obligations are secured by Section 75 agreements. Scottish property law differs from English law, so partners need Scottish legal advice.

Key rules in Musselburgh
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 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.

Questions about Funding and Investment Partners in Musselburgh

How is forward purchase different from forward funding?

With forward funding, the investor pays for the land and construction as the scheme is built. With forward purchase, the investor commits to buy the completed homes, but the developer arranges construction finance in the meantime. The choice affects risk, cost and timing for both parties, so each takes its own advice before agreeing terms.

What is forward funding?

Forward funding is where an investor, often an institution, buys a site and funds the construction of homes on it, taking ownership of the completed scheme. The developer builds the homes under a development agreement. It is used in build to rent and some affordable housing schemes. The legal and tax structure needs specialist advice for each party.

What information do funding partners usually review?

Partners usually review the site title, the planning position, the scheme appraisal, the build programme, the construction approach, the plan for selling or letting the homes and the developer's background. Each carries out its own due diligence, often with valuers, monitoring surveyors and solicitors. We share site-specific information under confidentiality where appropriate.

How can a landowner co-invest in a development?

Instead of selling outright, a landowner can put land into a joint venture with a developer, agreeing how costs, decisions and proceeds are shared. This can suit landowners who want a longer-term involvement. It carries more risk than a sale, so independent legal, tax and financial advice is essential before agreeing any terms.

Can we discuss a partnership in Musselburgh?

We are happy to talk about specific opportunities in Musselburgh and elsewhere in Edinburgh & the Lothians, including Livingston, Bathgate and Edinburgh. Conversations are private and every arrangement is documented by each party’s own advisers. Nothing here is an invitation to invest.