Sell an Infill Plot in Highlands & Islands
Owners of small gap sites in Highlands & Islands are often told the plot is too small to bother with. It may not be. One well-designed house on the right frontage can be a straightforward planning case. Land to Homes gives a free, no-obligation appraisal and, where the plot suits us, can buy it directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
Highlands & IslandsFree 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 we look at around Highlands & Islands
We cover 6 places across Highlands & Islands: Inverness is the main one, alongside Stornoway, Thurso and Kirkwall. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Moray, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire and Angus & Dundee.
Sites worth a conversation around Highlands & Islands: large and long rear gardens, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and land that already has planning permission. Because Highlands & Islands is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Send us a postcode in or near IV2 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Highlands & Islands
Neighbours' light and privacy
Window positions, outlook and daylight to neighbouring homes are tested in planning. We look at how a design could protect them, because this often decides whether infill is approved.
Services and connections
Connecting water, sewers and power to a single plot can be costly where mains are not close by. We check where services run before estimating what the plot could support.
Party walls and boundaries
Building on or near a shared boundary can trigger party wall procedures in England and Wales. Clear boundaries on the title plan help avoid disputes with neighbours later on.
Small plots still count
Many single-plot sites are viable. We look at what could fit, from one detached house to a short terrace, rather than dismissing a site because of its size.
The Scottish system, as it applies in Highlands & Islands
If you own land on the edge of Highlands & Islands, 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, infill sites are assessed against the Local Development Plan and NPF4, including its policies on local living and rural homes. Small sites are often consented through planning permission in principle or a full application. Shared boundaries are dealt with under Scots property law rather than party wall legislation, and a building warrant is required.
| 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 |
Common questions in Highlands & Islands
Is it easier to get planning permission for infill?
Often, because infill makes use of land within a settlement. But councils still refuse infill that harms the character of the street, neighbours' amenity or highway safety. In some rural areas, infill policies are tightly defined, so it pays to check the exact policy wording for your area.
How small can a plot be for a new house?
There is no single minimum. It depends on the width of the frontage, the size of neighbouring plots, space standards for the new home, garden and parking requirements, and how the design fits the street. A narrow plot may still work for a terraced design that continues an existing row.
Can I sell the side garden of my end-of-terrace house?
Often, yes, where the side garden is wide enough for a new home that continues the terrace or stands as a separate detached house. Consider the impact on your own home, parking and garden, and whether your mortgage lender will agree to release the land.
What does a buyer check on a small infill site?
Title and boundaries, rights of way, the planning history of the plot, the location of sewers and water mains, trees, drainage, ground conditions, and whether the street has a pattern a new home can follow. Small issues matter more on small sites because they directly affect what can fit.
Do you buy land in Highlands & Islands?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Highlands & Islands, including Kirkwall, Thurso and Fort William. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell an Infill Plot · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know