Land Promotion Agreements in Scarborough
With promotion, you keep your land in Scarborough 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.
Scarborough · YO11Free 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
Land and sites near Scarborough
Scarborough (YO11) is one of the North Yorkshire towns we cover, about 35 miles north-east of York. The nearest other places we cover are Bridlington (16 miles), Beverley (30 miles) and Redcar (35 miles). Within England, Scarborough falls in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
In and around Scarborough, the land we appraise ranges from land that already has planning permission to former garage blocks and yards, including brownfield land in and around Scarborough. In England, where Scarborough sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
Send us a postcode in or near YO11 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in Scarborough
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.
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.
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.
Planning in Scarborough: the English rules
If your land near Scarborough lies in the Green Belt, national policy still protects it, but England's planning framework now recognises grey belt: Green Belt land that is previously developed or does not strongly contribute to certain Green Belt purposes. Where there is evidenced unmet need and the location is sustainable, grey belt housing can be acceptable, with major schemes meeting the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure and green space. Planning is never guaranteed, so we check policy, access and constraints first.
In England, promotion usually focuses on getting land allocated in a Local Plan, or permitted where the council cannot show enough land for housing. Larger schemes often go in as outline applications, and the heads of terms should explain how Section 106 obligations, the Community Infrastructure Levy and biodiversity net gain costs affect the net proceeds.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Land Promotion Agreements in Scarborough: questions
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.
How does a land promotion agreement work?
The landowner and promoter sign an agreement for a set term. The promoter funds and runs the planning process. If permission is granted, the land is sold on the open market, provided offers meet an agreed minimum price. From the proceeds, the promoter recovers its costs and takes an agreed fee, and the landowner receives the balance.
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 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 work with landowners in Scarborough?
We do. We work with landowners in Scarborough and elsewhere in North Yorkshire, including Selby, Thornaby-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Land Promotion Agreements · Guide: Tax when selling land for development