Planning Permission and Strategy in Stonehaven
If you own land in Stonehaven and want to know whether homes could get planning permission, the answer starts with policy, not plans. We look at what the development plan says, what has been approved or refused nearby and what surveys the site needs. On promotion agreements we fund that work, and we never promise an outcome we cannot control.
Stonehaven · AB39Free site appraisal
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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
Planning and building around Stonehaven
Stonehaven sits about 13 miles south of Aberdeen in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, in the AB39 postcode district. The nearest other places we cover are Aberdeen (13 miles), Montrose (20 miles) and Inverurie (23 miles).
Typical work around Stonehaven: fields that need a masterplan before an application, sites that need a fresh planning strategy and in-principle consents that still need detailed approval. Planning in Stonehaven follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
Send us the site address near Stonehaven and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
What you get in Stonehaven
Early engagement
We seek pre-application advice from the council where it is offered, and talk to neighbours and community groups before submitting, so concerns are dealt with early.
Planned around buildable homes
As part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, we shape schemes around homes that can be built and delivered, not just consented.
Policy first
We start with the development plan, national policy and the planning history of the site, so the strategy rests on what the council will actually test the application against.
Technical work commissioned
Ecology, drainage, highways, flood risk, heritage and ground conditions, as the site requires. We brief each consultant and check their findings against the planning case.
Planning and land rules in Stonehaven
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 Stonehaven, 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, National Planning Framework 4 forms part of the statutory development plan alongside the Local Development Plan. National and major developments need a proposal of application notice and community consultation before an application is made, and planning permission in principle can establish whether housing is acceptable. Obligations are secured through Section 75 agreements.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area) |
| 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 |
Common questions in Stonehaven
What is a Section 106 agreement?
A Section 106 agreement is a legal agreement between a council and a landowner or developer that makes a development acceptable in planning terms, for example by securing affordable homes or contributions to schools and roads. It applies in England and Wales. Scotland uses Section 75 agreements and Northern Ireland uses Section 76 planning agreements for similar purposes.
What is the difference between outline and full planning permission?
Outline permission establishes whether development is acceptable in principle, with some or all of the details, known as reserved matters, left for a later application. Full permission approves the detailed scheme in one go. Outline is often used to secure the principle on land before it is sold. In Scotland the equivalent of outline is planning permission in principle.
Can you guarantee planning permission?
No. Nobody can guarantee planning permission, because the decision rests with the planning authority or, on appeal, an independent appeal body. What we can do is choose sites with genuine prospects, prepare a thorough application and deal with likely objections before they arise. If we think a site is unlikely to succeed, we will tell you.
Who pays for a planning application?
Normally whoever makes the application pays the council fee and the cost of the surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
Do you take on planning and building work in Stonehaven?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Stonehaven and elsewhere in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, including Peterhead, Inverurie and Aberdeen. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know