Planning Permission and Strategy in Forth Valley
If you own land in Forth Valley 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.
Forth ValleyFree 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
Our work around Forth Valley
We cover 4 places across Forth Valley: Stirling is the main one, alongside Alloa, Grangemouth and Falkirk. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Lanarkshire, Edinburgh & the Lothians and Fife.
Projects we can take on around Forth Valley include in-principle consents that still need detailed approval, sites where the layout needs to change and plots where access or drainage is the sticking point. Because Forth Valley is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Send us the site address near Forth Valley and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
What you get in Forth Valley
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.
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.
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.
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.
Planning in Forth Valley: the Scottish rules
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 Forth Valley, 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Planning Permission and Strategy in Forth Valley: questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Can you manage a site in Forth Valley from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves across Forth Valley, including Stirling, Alloa and Grangemouth, 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: Who pays for land promotion? Fees, costs and legal fees explained