New Home Construction in Derry/Londonderry
New home construction in Derry/Londonderry 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.
Derry/Londonderry · BT48Free 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 Derry/Londonderry
Derry/Londonderry is the main town we cover in County Londonderry, centred on postcode district BT48. The nearest other places we cover are Strabane (13 miles), Limavady (15 miles) and Coleraine (27 miles).
Near Derry/Londonderry, we look at fields that need a masterplan before an application, in-principle consents that still need detailed approval and schemes that need redesigning to work. Planning in Derry/Londonderry 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 Derry/Londonderry that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
What we offer in Derry/Londonderry
Conditions cleared first
Pre-commencement conditions, legal agreements and utility connections are dealt with before work begins, so the build starts on a sound footing.
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.
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.
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.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in Derry/Londonderry
In Northern Ireland, planning applications for new homes around Derry/Londonderry 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, 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 |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
Questions about New Home Construction in Derry/Londonderry
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 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 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 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.
Can you manage a site in Derry/Londonderry from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Derry/Londonderry and elsewhere in County Londonderry, including Magherafelt, Limavady and Coleraine, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.
Read more: New Home Construction · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys