Sell Land for Development in Belfast
If you own land in Belfast that could take new homes, you can sell it to Land to Homes as it stands or let us take it through planning first. Selling now gives you certainty. Going through planning first usually raises what the land is worth. On promotion agreements we fund the planning work, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Belfast · BT1Free 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
Land we look at around Belfast
Our County Antrim coverage is centred on Belfast, postcode district BT1, and reaches 6 other places. Close by, our coverage also takes in Castlereagh, Newtownabbey and Lisburn.
Typical sites we review near Belfast include land that already has planning permission, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and farmland next to the settlement boundary. As Belfast is in Northern Ireland, applications are judged against the Strategic Planning Policy Statement, and the buyer of land pays Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us a postcode in or near BT1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in Belfast
Direct purchase on suitable sites
Where a site suits us, we can buy it ourselves with or without planning, with no onward chain, subject to survey, title and contract.
Three ways to sell
A direct purchase, an option agreement or a promotion agreement. We explain the trade-off between certainty now and value later, in writing, so you can compare like with like.
Every nation covered
We work across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and tailor each deal to the planning and conveyancing rules that apply where your land sits.
We build what we buy
Land to Homes is part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, so we plan sites around homes we can actually build and deliver.
Rules that apply in Belfast
Permission in Principle, an English route, does not apply in Northern Ireland. Instead, landowners near Belfast usually seek outline or full planning permission from the council. Developer contributions are agreed under Section 76 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, and there is no Community Infrastructure Levy. Land to Homes can take on that process through an option or promotion agreement, or buy a suitable site directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
In Northern Ireland, the 11 district councils decide most planning applications under the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and their local development plans. Countryside policy is tight, so land within or next to settlement limits is the strongest starting point.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding when contracts signed by both parties are exchanged and finishes on completion, with the title registered in the Land Registry at Land & Property Services. |
Your questions answered for Belfast
What makes land suitable for new homes?
Good road access, a position next to or within an existing settlement, no overriding constraints such as high flood risk, and local planning policy that supports new housing. Sites that miss one of these can still work, but the route and timescale change.
How long does selling land for development take?
A direct sale of land with clear title can move as quickly as the legal work allows. Where planning permission is needed first, the timescale depends on the local plan and the planning process, which is why options and promotion agreements run over a set term.
Can I sell land for development without planning permission?
Yes. Many sites change hands without planning. A buyer will either pay a price that reflects the planning risk, or agree a deal where the final price is set once permission is granted. We can do either, and we will explain which gives you the better outcome for your land.
How much is my land worth for development?
It depends on how many homes the site could take, what those homes would sell for locally, and the costs of building them, including roads, drainage, affordable housing and planning obligations. Agricultural or paddock land without planning prospects is worth far less than land with permission. Our free appraisal explains the factors for your site.
Is Belfast an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Belfast and elsewhere in County Antrim, including Carrickfergus, Lisburn and Newtownabbey. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.
Read more: Sell Land for Development · Guide: How is development land valued?