Sell Land for Development in County Down
If you own land in County Down 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.
County DownFree 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
Selling land around County Down
Our County Down coverage takes in 6 towns and cities, centred on Bangor (County Down) and including Banbridge, Castlereagh and Newry. Neighbouring areas we also cover include County Antrim, County Armagh and County Tyrone.
In and around County Down, the land we appraise ranges from redundant commercial buildings to land behind street frontages, including redundant agricultural buildings. In Northern Ireland, where County Down sits, planning decisions are made by the 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications.
If you own land near County Down, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
How we work in County Down
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.
Straight answers on value
We explain how development land is valued, including the costs a buyer has to allow for, so you understand an offer rather than just receiving one.
Free site appraisal
A no-obligation desktop appraisal covering access, planning policy, likely constraints and an indicative number of homes, before you spend a penny on advice.
Nothing to pay upfront
Where we promote land through planning, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with permission.
Rules that apply in County Down
Permission in Principle, an English route, does not apply in Northern Ireland. Instead, landowners near County Down 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 |
| Who decides applications | The 11 district councils, with the Department for Infrastructure deciding regionally significant applications |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Land registration | Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) |
| 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. |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Your questions answered for County Down
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.
What size of land do you buy?
From single infill plots that could take one or two homes up to fields large enough for a full development. If a site is too small or too constrained for us, we will tell you quickly rather than leave you waiting.
Who pays the legal fees when I sell land?
On a straightforward sale each side normally pays its own. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes we pay your reasonable legal fees, and the amount is agreed in the heads of terms before you instruct a solicitor.
Will I have to pay tax when I sell land?
Selling land can create a Capital Gains Tax or Income Tax liability depending on your circumstances. We are not tax advisers, so we always recommend speaking to an accountant before you agree terms. GOV.UK has a guide to tax when you sell land and property.
Do you work with landowners in County Down?
We do. We work with landowners across County Down, including Bangor (County Down), Newry and Castlereagh. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.
Read more: Sell Land for Development · Guide: Tax when selling land for development