Sell Land with Planning Permission in Forth Valley
Land with planning permission in Forth Valley 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.
Forth ValleyFree site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
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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
Selling land around Forth Valley
Across Forth Valley, we cover Stirling and 3 other towns, among them Falkirk, Alloa 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: land behind street frontages, infill gaps along existing streets and brownfield land in and around Stirling. In Scotland, where Forth Valley sits, planning decisions are made by the council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area).
Tell us where your land is around Forth Valley and we will explain the routes open to you.
What you get in Forth Valley
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.
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.
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.
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.
How the rules work in Forth Valley
Scottish land deals differ from the rest of the UK in a few ways: contracts are concluded by missives, consent in principle is called planning permission in principle, and developer contributions use Section 75 agreements. Land to Homes works within those rules around Forth Valley, whether buying a suitable site directly with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract, or promoting it through planning with nothing to pay upfront. Planning permission is never guaranteed, so we explain the risks plainly.
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 |
Sell Land with Planning Permission in Forth Valley: questions
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 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.
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.
Is Forth Valley an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Forth Valley, including Grangemouth, Falkirk and Alloa. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.
Read more: Sell Land with Planning Permission · Guide: How is development land valued?