New Home Construction in Scottish Borders
New home construction in Scottish Borders 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.
Scottish BordersFree site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
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- 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
Our work around Scottish Borders
Across Scottish Borders, we cover Galashiels and 3 other towns, among them Kelso, Peebles and Hawick. Next door, we also cover Edinburgh & the Lothians, Fife and Forth Valley.
Projects we can take on around Scottish Borders include plots where access or drainage is the sticking point, schemes that need redesigning to work and fields that need a masterplan before an application. Because Scottish Borders is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Tell us about the site near Scottish Borders and we will explain how we would take it forward.
Why work with Land to Homes in Scottish Borders
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.
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.
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.
The Scottish system, as it applies in Scottish Borders
Land sales in Scotland are concluded through missives, an exchange of formal letters between solicitors. Once missives are concluded they form a binding contract, and the buyer takes entry at settlement, then registers the title with Registers of Scotland. For land near Scottish Borders, missives can be made conditional on planning permission in principle, so the sale only proceeds if consent is secured. The buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax to Revenue Scotland.
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.
| 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 |
New Home Construction in Scottish Borders: questions
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 happens to the roads and sewers on a new development?
On many developments the new roads are built to the highway authority's standards and then adopted, so the council maintains them. Sewers can similarly be adopted by the water company. Where roads or open spaces are not adopted, they are usually looked after by a management company funded by residents, and buyers should check this before reserving.
How are neighbours affected during construction?
Building work brings deliveries, noise and some disruption. Councils often require a construction management plan setting out working hours, delivery routes, parking and controls on dust and noise. We follow those requirements, keep the site tidy and secure, and make sure neighbours know who to contact if something goes wrong.
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.
Can you manage a site in Scottish Borders from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves across Scottish Borders, including Galashiels, Peebles and Hawick, 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