Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Downpatrick
If you want to build your own home in Downpatrick, the hardest part is usually finding a plot with permission, access and services already sorted. Land to Homes plans serviced plots for self-build and custom build on suitable sites. We have no plots available yet, but you can register interest and tell us what you are looking for.
Downpatrick · BT30Free 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
Sites we take on near Downpatrick
We cover Downpatrick as part of County Down. It is about 23 miles south of Bangor (County Down), around postcode district BT30. The nearest other places we cover are Castlereagh (18 miles), Newtownards (18 miles) and Lisburn (19 miles).
Typical work around Downpatrick: schemes that need redesigning to work, land where self-build plots could suit the market and land with an expired or ageing consent. Because Downpatrick is in Northern Ireland, land titles are registered with Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Tell us about the site near Downpatrick and we will explain how we would take it forward.
How we work in Downpatrick
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.
Design rules up front
Where a site has a design code or plot passport, we set out the rules before you commit, so you know what the planning permission allows.
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 made clear
We aim to bring plots forward with planning permission in place, or with a clear set of rules, often called a plot passport, describing what can be built.
The Northern Irish system, as it applies in Downpatrick
Land to Homes works with landowners across Northern Ireland, including in and around Downpatrick. We start with a free appraisal of planning policy, access and constraints, then set out a direct offer or option or promotion terms in writing. Each council's Local Development Plan is prepared in two stages, a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan, so the stage your council has reached affects how a site is assessed. Planning permission is never guaranteed.
In Northern Ireland, there is no statutory self-build register like England's. Plots are assessed under the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and the council's development plan, and countryside policy limits new single homes outside settlements to specific cases. Building control approval comes from the council, and Stamp Duty Land Tax may be payable on the plot purchase.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| 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) |
Common questions in Downpatrick
Do you have self-build plots for sale now?
Not yet. Land to Homes is a new venture and has no plots, homes or developments for sale at the moment. You can register interest with your preferred area and the kind of plot you want, and we will contact you if we bring forward plots that match. Registering is free and commits you to nothing.
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.
Is there a self-build register in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
In Scotland, planning authorities keep self-build lists of people interested in building their own home, which inform local planning. Wales and Northern Ireland do not have a statutory register like England's, although some councils may still record interest, and self-build plots are assessed through normal planning policy. Check with your local council.
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.
Do you take on planning and building work in Downpatrick?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Downpatrick and elsewhere in County Down, including Bangor (County Down), Newry and Newtownards. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Serviced Plots for Self-Build · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know