Sell Land for Development in Scottish Borders
Land to Homes buys and promotes development land in Scottish Borders, from a single infill plot to fields on the edge of town. We start with a free, no-obligation appraisal, explain whether a direct sale, an option or a promotion agreement suits your land, and put every term in writing before you commit to anything.
Scottish BordersFree 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 coverage in Scottish Borders
Our Scottish Borders coverage takes in 4 towns and cities, centred on Galashiels and including Peebles, Hawick and Kelso. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Edinburgh & the Lothians, Fife and Forth Valley.
Sites worth a conversation around Scottish Borders: brownfield land in and around Galashiels, paddocks on the edge of Galashiels and backland plots with a workable access. Planning in Scottish Borders follows Scotland’s rules: National Planning Framework 4 sets national policy and the council’s Local Development Plan sets local policy.
If you own land near Scottish Borders, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.
Our approach in Scottish Borders
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.
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.
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.
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.
Planning in Scottish Borders: the Scottish rules
If you own land on the edge of Scottish Borders, its prospects in Scotland depend largely on the Local Development Plan, which allocates sites for housing, and on NPF4 policies such as those on local living, infrastructure and quality homes. An option or promotion agreement lets a partner fund the planning case while you keep ownership until a sale. With Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees on these agreements are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
In Scotland, land sales are concluded through missives rather than exchange of contracts, and planning follows National Planning Framework 4 and the Local Development Plan. Where permission is needed, a deal can be made conditional on planning permission in principle.
| 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 |
Common questions in Scottish Borders
Do I need an agent to sell development land?
You do not have to use one, but independent advice is sensible on any land deal. Many landowners use a land agent or chartered surveyor, and you will need your own solicitor. Where we agree to cover your reasonable legal fees, the cap is set out in writing.
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.
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.
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.
Do you buy land in Scottish Borders?
Yes. Land to Homes looks at land across Scottish Borders, including Peebles, Galashiels and Hawick. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.
Read more: Sell Land for Development · Guide: Tax when selling land for development