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For landowners · County Antrim

Land Promotion Agreements in Lisburn

How does land promotion work in Lisburn?

With promotion, you keep your land in Lisburn 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.

Aerial view of open farmland with hedgerows on the edge of a townLisburn · BT27

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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

Land we look at around Lisburn

About 7 miles south-west of Belfast, Lisburn is part of our County Antrim coverage, centred on postcode district BT27. The nearest other places we cover are Belfast (7 miles), Castlereagh (7 miles) and Newtownabbey (11 miles).

Typical sites we review near Lisburn include land that already has planning permission, redundant agricultural buildings and backland plots with a workable access. In Northern Ireland, where Lisburn sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.

A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Lisburn.

What you get in Lisburn

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.

Clear fee and cost rules

The heads of terms state the fee, which costs can be recovered and whether any cap applies, so you can see what will come out of the proceeds before you sign.

Planning work funded by us

Nothing to pay upfront: on promotion we fund the planning work. Those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning, and the heads of terms set out exactly how that works.

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.

Planning in Lisburn: the Northern Irish rules

Countryside planning policy in Northern Ireland is generally restrictive, so land inside or next to the settlement development limits around Lisburn 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.

Key rules in Lisburn
National planning policyStrategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy
Local planning documentLocal Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Developer contributionsSection 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy)

Questions about Land Promotion Agreements in Lisburn

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 a promotion agreement better than an option?

Neither is better in every case. Promotion often suits larger sites where open-market competition is likely to drive the price and the landowner wants transparency. An option can suit smaller or more complex sites where one committed buyer matters more. Our guide to option and promotion agreements compares the two.

Do you buy land in Lisburn?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Lisburn and elsewhere in County Antrim, including Carrickfergus, Belfast and Larne. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.

Read more: Land Promotion Agreements · Guide: Option agreement or promotion agreement: what is the difference?

Land Promotion Agreements elsewhere in County Antrim

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.

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