Land Promotion Agreements in Forth Valley
A land promotion agreement in Forth Valley is a partnership in which a promoter funds and manages the planning process, then sells the land on the open market with the landowner. The promoter's costs and an agreed fee come out of the sale proceeds. Because both sides are paid from the same sale, both want the highest price.
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- 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 and sites near Forth Valley
Our Forth Valley coverage takes in 4 towns and cities, centred on Stirling and including Alloa, Falkirk and Grangemouth. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Lanarkshire, Edinburgh & the Lothians and Fife.
Sites worth a conversation around Forth Valley: large and long rear gardens, redundant commercial buildings and land behind street frontages. Planning in Forth Valley follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Send us a postcode in or near FK8 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Forth Valley
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.
Strategic planning work
Larger sites often need representations to the development plan, studies on transport, drainage and ecology, and engagement with the local community. We manage that work and report progress to you.
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.
Minimum price agreed early
The agreement sets a floor below which you cannot be required to sell. Some agreements allow it to be reviewed by an independent surveyor if the market moves during the term.
Rules that apply in Forth Valley
Planning obligations in Scotland are made under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and can cover affordable housing and infrastructure. Once registered against the title, they can bind future owners. Under NPF4, national and major developments must also leave biodiversity in a demonstrably better state. These costs shape what development land near Forth Valley is worth, which is why our free appraisal explains them before any offer or promotion terms are agreed.
In Scotland, promotion usually targets allocation in the Local Development Plan, followed by an application for planning permission in principle. Any Section 75 agreement is registered against the title. Because Scots law treats the agreement as a personal contract, the promoter's interest may be secured by a standard security, and the eventual sale is concluded by missives.
| 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 |
Land Promotion Agreements in Forth Valley: questions
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.
What fee does a land promoter take?
The fee is usually a share of the sale proceeds, sometimes calculated after costs are deducted and sometimes capped. There is no standard rate: it depends on the size of the site, the planning risk and the costs involved. Ask for the fee and the cost rules to be set out clearly in the heads of terms.
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.
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.
Do you buy land in Forth Valley?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Forth Valley, including Alloa, Stirling and Grangemouth. 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: How to sell land for development