New Home Construction in Highlands & Islands

Our work around Highlands & Islands

Our Highlands & Islands coverage takes in 6 towns and cities, centred on Inverness and including Stornoway, Fort William and Lerwick. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Moray, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire and Angus & Dundee.

Near Highlands & Islands, we look at fields that need a masterplan before an application, sites where the layout needs to change and in-principle consents that still need detailed approval. In Scotland, where Highlands & Islands sits, planning decisions are made by the council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area).

Send us the site address near Highlands & Islands and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.

Why work with Land to Homes in Highlands & Islands

Respect for neighbours

Site traffic, working hours, noise and dust are managed under a construction management plan where the council requires one, and neighbours know who to contact.

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.

Mixed tenures on one site

Homes for sale, homes for rent and affordable homes can be built together, designed so that the tenures are hard to tell apart from the street.

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.

The Scottish system, as it applies in Highlands & Islands

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 Highlands & Islands, 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, construction needs a building warrant from the council before work starts and an accepted completion certificate before homes are occupied. Building standards are set by the Scottish Government, and the New Build Heat Standard generally rules out direct emissions heating such as gas boilers in new homes. New roads usually need roads construction consent from the council.

Key rules in Highlands & Islands
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 Highlands & Islands

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.

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.

Does Land to Homes build the homes itself?

Land to Homes manages planning, design and construction on the sites it brings forward, and is part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group. Construction is carried out with contractors and suppliers under our management. Because we plan land with building in mind, the schemes we take to planning are designed to be delivered.

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.

Do you take on planning and building work in Highlands & Islands?

Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership across Highlands & Islands, including Kirkwall, Inverness and Lerwick. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.