Sell Land with Planning Permission in Magherafelt
Before you sell a consented site in Magherafelt, 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.
Magherafelt · BT45Free 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 we look at around Magherafelt
About 33 miles south-east of Derry/Londonderry, Magherafelt is part of our County Londonderry coverage, centred on postcode district BT45. The nearest other places we cover are Cookstown (9 miles), Ballymena (15 miles) and Antrim (16 miles).
Typical sites we review near Magherafelt include backland plots with a workable access, large and long rear gardens and corner plots and side gardens. Because Magherafelt is in Northern Ireland, land titles are registered with Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near BT45 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
How we work in Magherafelt
Buildability tested
As part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, we test whether the approved homes can be built for a sensible cost, not just whether the drawings look right.
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.
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Magherafelt
In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around Magherafelt are decided by the local district council, one of 11, while the Department for Infrastructure decides regionally significant schemes. Councils apply the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and their Local Development Plan, together with retained planning policy statements until their Plan Strategy is adopted. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal and can buy suitable land directly or promote it through planning.
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 |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| 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. |
Your questions answered for Magherafelt
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.
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 checks will a buyer make on land with planning permission?
Expect checks on the decision notice and conditions, any planning agreement, the title and boundaries, access and visibility at the junction, drainage and utility connections, ground conditions, ecology and flood risk. A surprise found late can lead to renegotiation, so sharing what you already know early tends to keep a sale on track.
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.
Do you work with landowners in Magherafelt?
We do. We work with landowners in Magherafelt and elsewhere in County Londonderry, including Derry/Londonderry, Limavady and Coleraine. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?