Planning Permission and Strategy in Limavady
Planning permission and strategy in Limavady means working out how a site can win consent for new homes before anyone spends money on drawings. Land to Homes reviews local planning policy, constraints and access, chooses the right route, such as outline or full permission, and manages the application from pre-application advice through to a decision.
Limavady · BT49Free 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 Limavady
About 15 miles east of Derry/Londonderry, Limavady is part of our County Londonderry coverage, centred on postcode district BT49. Coleraine is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 13 miles, followed by Derry/Londonderry and Magherafelt.
Typical work around Limavady: in-principle consents that still need detailed approval, schemes that need redesigning to work and fields that need a masterplan before an application. Because Limavady is in Northern Ireland, land titles are registered with Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
If you have a site near Limavady that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
Why work with Land to Homes in Limavady
Nothing to pay upfront
Where we promote land, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission.
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.
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.
Your legal fees covered
On option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor.
How the rules work in Limavady
Land to Homes works with landowners across Northern Ireland, including in and around Limavady. 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 11 district councils decide most applications under the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and their local development plans, while regionally significant applications go to the Department for Infrastructure. Major applications need pre-application community consultation, and planning agreements are made under Section 76. Countryside policy is restrictive, so settlement limits matter.
| 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) |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Planning Permission and Strategy in Limavady: questions
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.
How do I find out if my land could get planning permission?
Start with the council's development plan, which shows where new homes are supported, and the planning history of the site and its surroundings. Access, flood risk, ecology and heritage also matter. Our free site appraisal reviews these factors and tells you plainly whether we think the land has prospects, and which route to planning would suit it.
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.
How long does it take to get planning permission?
It varies with the size of the scheme, the council's workload and whether a legal agreement is needed. Small schemes usually move faster than major applications, which have longer statutory periods and often need a planning obligation. Pre-application advice and good survey work add time at the start but often save time later. We give you a realistic view for your site.
Can you manage a site in Limavady from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Limavady and elsewhere in County Londonderry, including Magherafelt, Derry/Londonderry and Coleraine, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know