Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Dundee

Planning and building around Dundee

Dundee (DD1) is the hub of our Angus & Dundee coverage, with 3 further towns covered. Close by, our coverage also takes in Forfar, Arbroath and Blairgowrie.

Near Dundee, we look at plots where access or drainage is the sticking point, schemes that need redesigning to work and sites where the layout needs to change. In Scotland, where Dundee sits, planning decisions are made by the council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area).

Tell us about the site near Dundee and we will explain how we would take it forward.

How we work in Dundee

Register interest now

No plots are available yet. Registering interest tells us where people want plots and what they need, which helps shape the sites we bring forward.

Self-build or custom build

Build the home yourself with your own builder and architect, or choose a more complete custom build package where one is offered on the site.

Part of larger schemes

On bigger developments, serviced plots can sit alongside homes for sale, rent and affordable tenures, sharing the same roads and services.

Landowners welcome

If your land could suit self-build plots, our free site appraisal explains the options, including a direct purchase, an option or a promotion agreement.

Planning and land rules in Dundee

Land sales in Scotland are concluded through missives, an exchange of formal letters between solicitors. Once missives are concluded they form a binding contract, and the buyer takes entry at settlement, then registers the title with Registers of Scotland. For land near Dundee, missives can be made conditional on planning permission in principle, so the sale only proceeds if consent is secured. The buyer pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax to Revenue Scotland.

In Scotland, planning authorities keep self-build lists recording people who want to build their own home, and National Planning Framework 4 and the Local Development Plan guide where new homes can go. Plots need a building warrant before work starts, land is bought through missives, and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax may be payable. Planning permission in principle can establish whether plots are acceptable.

Key rules in Dundee
National planning policy	National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan
Local planning document	Local Development Plan (LDP)
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

Your questions answered for Dundee

What is a serviced plot?

A serviced plot is a piece of land ready for a single home, with access to a road and connections for services such as water, drainage and electricity at or near the boundary. In England, the Right to Build legislation defines a serviced plot by reference to access to a public highway and those utility connections, or the ability to provide them.

What is the difference between self-build and custom build?

With self-build, you organise the design and construction of your home yourself, either doing some of the work or hiring a builder. With custom build, a developer provides more of the package, such as a serviced plot, a range of designs and sometimes the construction itself, while you make the key choices. The line between the two is not always sharp.

Can I get a mortgage for a self-build plot?

Many lenders offer self-build mortgages that release money in stages as the build progresses, but criteria vary and a standard mortgage will not usually work. You will normally need planning permission, a detailed budget and a warranty or professional supervision in place. A mortgage broker or adviser can explain the options; we cannot give financial advice.

Can I sell part of my land as self-build plots?

Yes, if the land has planning prospects and suitable access. A few plots can suit land on a village edge or a large garden. Our free site appraisal looks at whether plots would work and whether a direct sale to us, an option or a promotion agreement is the right route. On option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.

Can you manage a site in Dundee from planning to build?

On land we take forward ourselves in Dundee and elsewhere in Angus & Dundee, including Forfar, Montrose and Arbroath, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.