Funding and Investment Partners in Thurso

Working together in Thurso

Thurso sits about 81 miles north of Inverness in Highlands & Islands, in the KW14 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Kirkwall (34 miles), Elgin (66 miles) and Buckie (67 miles).

Partnerships we can discuss around Thurso include joint ventures with landowners, forward-funded build to rent and design and build for a registered provider. Because Thurso is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

If you are considering a partnership around Thurso, we are happy to talk privately.

How we work in Thurso

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.

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.

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.

Part of the S&K Group

Land to Homes is part of the S&K Group, a Birmingham-based construction and property group whose businesses include glazing, building supplies and property improvement.

Planning and land rules in Thurso

If you own land on the edge of Thurso, 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, 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 Thurso
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 registration	Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland)

Common questions in Thurso

Do public bodies fund housing development?

Public bodies support housing delivery in each nation, for example Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency in England, and the Development Bank of Wales, which offers property development lending. Grant for affordable housing usually goes to councils and registered providers rather than developers. We describe these bodies for context; each has its own criteria.

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 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 types of funding do residential developments use?

Typically a mix of senior development debt, sometimes mezzanine debt, and equity from the developer and its partners. Build to rent and affordable homes may use forward funding or forward purchase by an institution or registered provider. Landowners can also contribute land through a joint venture. The right structure depends on the scheme, and each party takes independent advice.

Do you work with partners on schemes in Thurso?

Yes. We discuss schemes in Thurso and elsewhere in Highlands & Islands, including Inverness, Lerwick and Fort William privately with professional partners. Nothing on this website is an offer or invitation to invest.