Land Assembly and Access in Derry/Londonderry
Land assembly in Derry/Londonderry means bringing several pieces of land under one plan so they can be developed together. It might combine neighbouring gardens, separate fields, or a main site and the strip needed to reach the road. Land to Homes negotiates with each owner and sets up a fair, written way of sharing value.
Derry/Londonderry · BT48Free 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 Derry/Londonderry
Derry/Londonderry (BT48) is the hub of our County Londonderry coverage, with 3 further towns covered. Strabane is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 13 miles, followed by Limavady and Coleraine.
Sites worth a conversation around Derry/Londonderry: small holdings and pony paddocks, redundant agricultural buildings and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. Because Derry/Londonderry is in Northern Ireland, land titles are registered with Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near BT48 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Derry/Londonderry
Visibility splays secured
A new junction needs clear sightlines across land on either side. If any of that land is in other ownership, rights or a purchase are needed before the access can work.
Equalisation between owners
A collaboration or equalisation agreement shares proceeds by area or agreed proportion, so it does not matter whose land ends up as roads, open space or homes in the final layout.
Ransom strips identified
A ransom strip is land that controls access to a development site. We check titles and highway records to establish who owns every piece of land between your site and the public road.
Deals to suit each owner
Different owners may want different routes: some prefer to sell outright, others an option or promotion. The structure can combine these within one plan for the whole area.
How the rules work in Derry/Londonderry
In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around Derry/Londonderry are decided by the local district council, one of 11, while the Department for Infrastructure decides regionally significant schemes. Councils apply the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and their Local Development Plan, together with retained planning policy statements until their Plan Strategy is adopted. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal and can buy suitable land directly or promote it through planning.
In Northern Ireland, new estate roads are usually built under the Private Streets (Northern Ireland) Order 1980, with DfI Roads determining the layout and an agreement and bond securing adoption. Titles are held by Land & Property Services, and some older land is still recorded in the Registry of Deeds. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies to purchases.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Questions about Land Assembly and Access in Derry/Londonderry
Who pays the legal costs in a land assembly?
It depends on the structure. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms. For direct purchases and collaboration agreements, cost arrangements are agreed case by case and set out in writing.
What is a visibility splay?
A visibility splay is the area of land either side of a junction that must be kept clear so drivers can see approaching traffic. Its size depends on road speeds and the highway authority's standards. If part of the splay is owned by someone else, the scheme needs their agreement before the access can work.
What if my access crosses a public footpath?
A footpath crossing does not usually prevent access, but the design must keep the path safe and usable. If the layout needs the path to move, a formal diversion order is required, which is a separate legal process that members of the public can object to.
Can the council force a neighbour to sell land for my development?
Generally no, for a private housing scheme. Councils have compulsory purchase powers for certain public purposes, but they are not a routine tool for individual developments. Most land assembly is achieved by agreement, which is why early, fair and well-documented negotiation matters so much.
Is Derry/Londonderry an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Derry/Londonderry and elsewhere in County Londonderry, including Limavady, Coleraine and Magherafelt. 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: Land Assembly and Access · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK