Land Promotion Agreements in Carrickfergus
With promotion, you keep your land in Carrickfergus while Land to Homes pays for the surveys, design and planning application. There is nothing to pay upfront: costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. A minimum price agreed at the start means you are not obliged to sell below that figure.
Carrickfergus · BT38Free site appraisal
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- 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
Selling land around Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus (BT38) is one of the County Antrim towns we cover, about 10 miles north-east of Belfast. The nearest other places we cover are Newtownabbey (6 miles), Bangor (County Down) (7 miles) and Belfast (10 miles).
Typical sites we review near Carrickfergus include paddocks on the edge of Carrickfergus, large and long rear gardens and brownfield land in and around Carrickfergus. Because Carrickfergus 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).
Tell us where your land is around Carrickfergus and we will explain the routes open to you.
Our approach in Carrickfergus
Open-market sale
Once planning is secured, the land is marketed to housebuilders and other buyers, usually through an agent. The aim is genuine competition between bidders, rather than reliance on a single valuation figure.
Reasonable legal fees covered
We pay your reasonable legal fees on promotion agreements, with the amount agreed up front in the heads of terms. You choose your own solicitor to act for you.
Interests aligned on price
The promoter's fee is linked to the sale price, so we only do well if you do. That is the main difference from an option, where the buyer benefits from a lower valuation.
Retained land protected
If you keep neighbouring land, the agreement can secure access and services to it, so the new scheme does not cut off the rest of your holding or limit its future use.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in Carrickfergus
Countryside planning policy in Northern Ireland is generally restrictive, so land inside or next to the settlement development limits around Carrickfergus is usually the strongest prospect for new homes. Outline planning permission can establish the principle, with reserved matters approved later. A promotion agreement lets us fund that planning work, with our costs recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. Your reasonable legal fees are covered too, agreed in the heads of terms.
In Northern Ireland, larger sites generally need zoning for housing in the council's local policies plan, which follows its adopted plan strategy. Regionally significant proposals are decided by the Department for Infrastructure. Promotion work should allow for Section 76 obligations, DfI Roads requirements and wastewater capacity, which can be a constraint in parts of Northern Ireland.
| 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) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding when contracts signed by both parties are exchanged and finishes on completion, with the title registered in the Land Registry at Land & Property Services. |
Land Promotion Agreements in Carrickfergus: questions
What is a minimum price in a promotion agreement?
It is the lowest figure at which the landowner can be required to sell once planning is granted. It protects you from a sale in a weak market. Set it too high and the land may not sell; set it too low and it gives little protection. Some agreements allow review by an independent surveyor.
Can I end a promotion agreement early?
Usually only in limited circumstances set out in the agreement, such as the promoter failing to meet its obligations or the term expiring. Because the promoter is investing in planning, early termination by the landowner is normally restricted. Check the termination clauses with your solicitor before you sign.
Who pays if the planning application fails?
On a Land to Homes promotion agreement there is nothing to pay upfront. We fund the planning work, and our costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. How costs are treated in every scenario is written into the heads of terms before you sign anything.
Will I have a say over who buys the land?
Usually, yes. Promotion agreements typically involve the landowner in agreeing the marketing approach and the choice of buyer, subject to the minimum price. Where several bids meet the minimum, the agreement sets out how the preferred bid is chosen and what happens if the parties disagree.
Is Carrickfergus an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Carrickfergus and elsewhere in County Antrim, including Ballymena, Newtownabbey and Larne. 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.
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