Sell Land with Planning Permission in County Antrim
Land with planning permission in County Antrim is a site where the council has already approved new homes, either in outline or in full. A buyer is paying for that consent as well as the ground, so the price depends on what the permission allows, the conditions attached and the planning obligations that come with it. Land to Homes reviews all three before making an offer.
County AntrimFree 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
Our coverage in County Antrim
Our County Antrim coverage takes in 7 towns and cities, centred on Belfast and including Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Lisburn. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover County Down, County Armagh and County Londonderry.
Typical sites we review near County Antrim include large and long rear gardens, brownfield land in and around Belfast and redundant commercial buildings. Planning in County Antrim follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Send us a postcode in or near BT1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in County Antrim
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.
Expiry dates checked
Most permissions lapse if development does not lawfully begin within the period set in the decision. We check the deadline, and whether a lawful start has already been made, before discussing any deal.
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.
Outline or full consent
Outline permission settles the principle, while reserved matters such as layout, scale and appearance still need approval. Full permission is further advanced. We explain how each stage affects what a buyer will pay.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in County Antrim
Land to Homes works with landowners across Northern Ireland, including in and around County Antrim. We start with a free appraisal of planning policy, access and constraints, then set out a direct offer or option or promotion terms in writing. Each council's Local Development Plan is prepared in two stages, a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan, so the stage your council has reached affects how a site is assessed. Planning permission is never guaranteed.
In Northern Ireland, permissions are granted by the district council, or by the Department for Infrastructure for regionally significant schemes. We check any Section 76 planning agreement, the road layout requirements of DfI Roads under the private streets rules, and whether wastewater capacity is confirmed, as it can limit development in some areas. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies.
| 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 |
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
| 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. |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Sell Land with Planning Permission in County Antrim: questions
Is outline planning permission worth less than full permission?
Usually, because more approvals are still needed. Outline permission sets the principle and sometimes the access, while reserved matters such as layout, scale, appearance and landscaping come later. A buyer allows for the cost and risk of that remaining work. In Scotland the closest equivalent is planning permission in principle.
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 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.
Do you buy land in County Antrim?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across County Antrim, including Ballymena, Lisburn and Newtownabbey. 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?