New Home Construction in Belfast
New home construction in Belfast is the stage where a consented scheme becomes real homes: site set-up, groundworks, roads and drainage, building the homes and handing them over. Land to Homes manages construction on the sites it brings forward, working with contractors and suppliers, and plans each scheme around homes that can be built well and then sold or let.
Belfast · BT1Free 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
Sites we take on near Belfast
Belfast (BT1) is the hub of our County Antrim coverage, with 6 further towns covered. The nearest other places we cover are Castlereagh (2 miles), Newtownabbey (4 miles) and Lisburn (7 miles).
Near Belfast, we look at land with an expired or ageing consent, sites where the layout needs to change and land where self-build plots could suit the market. Planning in Belfast follows Northern Ireland’s rules: the Strategic Planning Policy Statement sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
If you have a site near Belfast that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
What you get in Belfast
Energy-efficient homes
Homes are designed to meet current energy standards in each nation, which increasingly means low-carbon heating, high insulation and good airtightness.
Groundworks and infrastructure
Roads, sewers, drainage and services are planned and built to the standards needed for adoption by the highway authority and water company where that applies.
Warranty considered early
Most mortgage lenders expect a new home to carry a recognised structural warranty, so warranty provider requirements are considered from the design stage.
From land to keys
The people who buy or promote the land also plan the build, so the scheme that wins planning is one that can be delivered on site.
Planning and land rules in Belfast
Land to Homes works with landowners across Northern Ireland, including in and around Belfast. 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, the Building Regulations are made by the Department of Finance and enforced by council building control. New roads are usually built to Department for Infrastructure standards for adoption, and sewers to NI Water's requirements. Planning conditions set by the council or the Department for Infrastructure must be discharged before the relevant work starts.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| 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 Belfast
Can you build out a site that already has planning permission?
Yes, where the scheme suits us. We can buy a site with planning permission directly, subject to survey, title and contract, or discuss a joint venture where the landowner keeps an interest. We review the permission, its conditions and any legal agreement first, because they affect what can be built and when.
What are building regulations?
Building regulations set minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings, including structure, fire safety, energy efficiency, drainage and accessibility. England, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own regulations, approved through building control. Scotland has building standards, and work needs a building warrant from the council before it starts and a completion certificate at the end.
What are pre-commencement conditions?
They are planning conditions that must be satisfied before any work starts on site, such as approving drainage details, materials or a construction management plan. Starting work without discharging them can put the permission at risk. We deal with them before work begins, together with any planning obligations that apply to the site.
What is a new-build warranty?
A new-build warranty is an insurance-backed policy that covers certain defects in a newly built home for a set period after completion. In the early part of the cover the builder is usually responsible for putting defects right, with the warranty provider covering major structural problems later on. Most mortgage lenders require a recognised warranty or a professional consultant's certificate.
Do you take on planning and building work in Belfast?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Belfast and elsewhere in County Antrim, including Lisburn, Carrickfergus and Antrim. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: New Home Construction · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys