Sell Land with Planning Permission in Scottish Borders
Before you sell a consented site in Scottish Borders, 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.
Scottish BordersFree 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
Selling land around Scottish Borders
Our Scottish Borders coverage takes in 4 towns and cities, centred on Galashiels and including Hawick, Kelso and Peebles. Next door, we also cover Edinburgh & the Lothians, Fife and Forth Valley.
Around Scottish Borders we look at corner plots and side gardens, redundant commercial buildings and large and long rear gardens. As Scottish Borders is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
If you own land near Scottish Borders, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
What you get in Scottish Borders
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.
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.
Rules that apply in Scottish Borders
Planning obligations in Scotland are made under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and can cover affordable housing and infrastructure. Once registered against the title, they can bind future owners. Under NPF4, national and major developments must also leave biodiversity in a demonstrably better state. These costs shape what development land near Scottish Borders is worth, which is why our free appraisal explains them before any offer or promotion terms are agreed.
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 |
Questions about Sell Land with Planning Permission in Scottish Borders
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.
Does planning permission go with the land when I sell?
Yes. In most cases planning permission runs with the land, not the owner, so it passes to the buyer automatically. Personal permissions are rare exceptions. Planning agreements tied to the consent, such as a Section 106 agreement in England and Wales, also bind the land, so the buyer takes on those obligations as well.
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.
Do you work with landowners in Scottish Borders?
We do. We work with landowners across Scottish Borders, including Peebles, Hawick and Kelso. 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?