Part of the S&K Group · Land, planning and new homesEngland · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland0800 088 6248
Land to Homes emblem: two house roofs over green fieldsLANDTOHOMES
For landowners · Highlands & Islands

Landowner Joint Ventures in Lerwick

Can I enter a joint venture on land in Lerwick?

Joint ventures in Lerwick suit landowners who can wait for their money and are comfortable with uncertainty. Your land becomes part of a development, with Land to Homes, part of the S&K Group, running planning and construction. How costs, profit, decisions and any lender's security over the land are handled is all set out in the agreement.

Grass field bordered by a hedgerow, with the backs of a housing estate along one sideLerwick · ZE1

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

Our coverage in Lerwick

We cover Lerwick as part of Highlands & Islands. It is about 215 miles north-east of Inverness, around postcode district ZE1. If your land sits between towns, Kirkwall, Thurso and Fraserburgh are the closest neighbouring places on our list.

Around Lerwick we look at fields put forward or allocated in the local plan, redundant commercial buildings and infill gaps along existing streets. As Lerwick is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

Send us a postcode in or near ZE1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Why work with Land to Homes in Lerwick

Land value agreed first

Your land is valued at the outset so everyone knows what it contributes. That figure often sets an entitlement paid to you before any profit is shared, which is a key protection in most structures.

Decisions and deadlock

The agreement should say who decides on design, pricing, contractors and programme, which matters need both parties' consent, and how any disagreement is resolved without stalling the project.

Choice of structure

A joint venture can be purely contractual, a joint venture company or a limited liability partnership. Each handles control, liability, tax and exit differently, and your own advisers should help you choose.

Funding and lender security

Development lenders usually want a first charge over the land. If your land is charged, you need to understand what happens if the project runs into difficulty and what protection the agreement gives you.

Planning and land rules in Lerwick

In Scotland, planning applications for land around Lerwick are decided by the council as planning authority, using National Planning Framework 4 and the Local Development Plan, which together form the statutory development plan. Instead of outline permission, Scotland uses planning permission in principle, followed by approval of matters specified in conditions. Land to Homes can buy suitable sites directly or promote land through planning, and every conversation starts with a free site appraisal.

In Scotland, land placed in a joint venture is transferred or secured under Scots property law, typically by disposition or standard security registered with Registers of Scotland. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax can apply to transfers. Planning obligations are agreed under Section 75, and new homes need a building warrant before construction starts.

Key rules in Lerwick
National planning policyNational Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan
In-principle consentPlanning 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 registrationRegisters of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland)

Your questions answered for Lerwick

Will a lender take a charge over my land in a joint venture?

Often, yes. Development lenders normally require security, and the land is the main asset. If your land is charged and the project fails, the lender may be able to sell it. Some structures delay transferring or charging the land, so take legal advice on how your interest is protected.

Do I have to put money into a joint venture?

Not always. In many landowner joint ventures the land is the landowner's whole contribution, while the developer arranges the rest of the funding. Some structures ask both parties to contribute cash. The agreement should state clearly whether any further contribution could ever be required from you, and in what circumstances.

What happens if the joint venture does not get planning?

The agreement should say. Common approaches include ending the venture with each party bearing its own costs, or allowing a revised application within a set period. Make sure you know whether any planning costs could ever be charged to you, and in what circumstances, before you sign.

What is a landowner joint venture?

It is an arrangement where a landowner and a developer pool what they have to deliver a development. The landowner usually contributes the land, and the developer contributes expertise, management and access to funding. Instead of a fixed price at the start, the landowner shares in the outcome once homes are sold or let, under agreed terms.

Do you work with landowners in Lerwick?

We do. We work with landowners in Lerwick and elsewhere in Highlands & Islands, including Thurso, Kirkwall and Fort William. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Landowner Joint Ventures · Guide: Landowner joint ventures explained: sharing in the development

Landowner Joint Ventures elsewhere in Highlands & Islands

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.

CallFree appraisal