Sell Land with Planning Permission in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Before you sell a consented site in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, check when the permission expires and which conditions must be cleared before work can start. Those two points shape what a builder will pay. Our free, no-obligation appraisal looks at the permission itself, then explains whether a direct purchase or an open-market sale suits you better.
Aberdeen & AberdeenshireFree 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 and sites near Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Our Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire coverage takes in 5 towns and cities, centred on Aberdeen and including Peterhead, Stonehaven and Fraserburgh. Next door, we also cover Moray, Angus & Dundee and Perth & Kinross.
In and around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, the land we appraise ranges from former garage blocks and yards to small holdings and pony paddocks, including corner plots and side gardens. Planning in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Tell us where your land is around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire and we will explain the routes open to you.
What you get in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Honest view on redesign
If a revised scheme could make the site work better, we explain that openly, including the planning risk a fresh application would carry, so you can judge any offer that depends on it.
Direct purchase of consented sites
Where a consented site suits us, we can buy it ourselves with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract. Any planning agreement passes to us with the land.
Conditions priced in
Pre-commencement conditions, such as drainage, materials or ecology details, must be discharged before work starts. We identify which are outstanding, what they are likely to cost and who would deal with them.
Planning obligations understood
Section 106 agreements in England and Wales, Section 75 in Scotland and Section 76 in Northern Ireland bind the land. Their costs, such as affordable housing or contributions, pass to the buyer and affect value.
How the rules work in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
In Scotland, planning applications for land around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire are decided by the council as planning authority, using National Planning Framework 4 and the Local Development Plan, which together form the statutory development plan. Instead of outline permission, Scotland uses planning permission in principle, followed by approval of matters specified in conditions. Land to Homes can buy suitable sites directly or promote land through planning, and every conversation starts with a free site appraisal.
In Scotland, a site may hold full planning permission or planning permission in principle, with matters specified in conditions still to be approved. Any Section 75 agreement is registered against the title and binds the buyer. The sale is concluded through missives, the buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, and a building warrant is needed separately before construction.
| 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 |
Your questions answered for Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Do I need to clear the planning conditions before I sell?
Not usually. Many sites sell with conditions still outstanding, and the buyer deals with them as part of preparing to build. Clearing some in advance can make a site easier to sell, but it costs money and may not suit every buyer's design. We will tell you whether it is worth doing on your site.
Can a buyer change the approved scheme?
Yes, through a minor amendment, a variation of conditions or a fresh application, depending on the size of the change. Each route carries its own planning risk and cost. If a buyer's offer depends on a different scheme being approved, the deal is usually conditional on that new permission rather than a straight purchase.
What happens if my planning permission is about to expire?
If development has not lawfully begun by the deadline, the permission usually lapses and a new application is needed, which may be judged against newer policy. The usual choices are to sell to a buyer able to make a lawful start, to apply again, or to make a start yourself after discharging pre-commencement conditions. Take planning advice early.
What is a pre-commencement condition?
It is a condition that must be discharged before any development starts, such as approval of drainage, materials, a construction management plan or ecology measures. Starting work before discharging one can mean the permission has not been lawfully implemented. Buyers check these carefully because they affect both cost and when building can begin.
Do you buy land in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen, Stonehaven and Peterhead. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?