Sell Land Without Planning in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Selling land around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Across Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, we cover Aberdeen and 4 other towns, among them Inverurie, Fraserburgh and Peterhead. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Moray, Angus & Dundee and Perth & Kinross.

Around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire we look at infill gaps along existing streets, backland plots with a workable access and fields put forward or allocated in the local plan. In Scotland, where Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire sits, planning decisions are made by the council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area).

Send us a postcode in or near AB10 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

Our approach in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Planning funded on promotion

Nothing to pay upfront: on a promotion agreement we fund the planning work, and those costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. The detail is set out in the heads of terms.

Hope value explained

Land with no permission but a realistic chance of one is worth more than its current use value, but less than consented land. We explain where your site sits on that scale and why.

Option or promotion routes

Where planning will take longer, an option or promotion agreement lets us fund the application while you keep ownership. We explain the difference, including who benefits from a higher or lower sale price.

Buying land as it stands

Where we can see a planning route we are prepared to back, we can buy your land as it stands, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.

Planning in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire: the Scottish rules

If you own land on the edge of Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, its prospects in Scotland depend largely on the Local Development Plan, which allocates sites for housing, and on NPF4 policies such as those on local living, infrastructure and quality homes. An option or promotion agreement lets a partner fund the planning case while you keep ownership until a sale. With Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees on these agreements are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.

In Scotland, the Local Development Plan and National Planning Framework 4 decide where housing goes. Land is often sold on missives with a suspensive condition that planning permission in principle is granted. Under the newer plan system councils prepare an evidence report before the proposed plan, so landowners benefit from engaging early.

Key rules in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
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

What if my land has been refused planning before?

A previous refusal is useful evidence, not necessarily the end of the story. Policy changes, new local plans and a different scheme can lead to a different outcome. We read the refusal reasons and any appeal decision before giving a view on whether a fresh approach is realistic and worth the cost.

Can I keep using the land while planning is pursued?

Usually, yes. Under options and promotion agreements you normally keep ownership and can carry on using the land, for example for grazing or farming, until it is sold. The agreement sets out access for surveys and any restrictions, such as on granting new long-term tenancies.

Is a field with no road frontage worth selling for development?

It can be, but access is the first question any buyer asks. If the only route in crosses land owned by someone else, rights need to be agreed or a strip bought. We check title plans and highway records before suggesting any deal, so you know whether access is a hurdle or a dead end.

Should I apply for planning permission myself before selling?

You can, but an application costs money in surveys, reports and fees, and a refusal can make the land harder to sell. A scheme designed by someone who does not intend to build may also not suit housebuilders. Many landowners prefer a partner who carries the cost and risk of planning instead.

Do you buy land in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, including Inverurie, Stonehaven and Peterhead. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.