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Planning, design and build · Highlands & Islands

Serviced Plots for Self-Build in Inverness

Are serviced self-build plots coming forward in Inverness?

Land to Homes brings forward serviced plots as well as finished homes, and Inverness is one of the areas where self-builders can register interest. On larger sites, a share of plots can be set aside for self-build and custom build, each with access, services and a plot passport setting out what can be built. Landowners with land suited to plots can also talk to us.

Site manager in a safety helmet checking drawings on a housebuilding siteInverness · IV2

Free 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 work around Inverness

Inverness (IV2) anchors our coverage of Highlands & Islands, which takes in 5 other places. The nearest other places we cover are Forres (24 miles), Elgin (36 miles) and Buckie (49 miles).

Typical work around Inverness: sites where the layout needs to change, land where self-build plots could suit the market and schemes that need redesigning to work. As Inverness is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

If you have a site near Inverness that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.

What we offer in Inverness

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.

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.

Services at the boundary

Plots are planned with road access and connections for water, drainage and electricity, so you are not left negotiating with utility companies on your own.

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.

Rules that apply in Inverness

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 Inverness, 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 Inverness
In-principle consentPlanning 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)
How a sale becomes bindingLand 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 contributionsSection 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments

Your questions answered for Inverness

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.

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.

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.

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 you manage a site in Inverness from planning to build?

On land we take forward ourselves in Inverness and elsewhere in Highlands & Islands, including Fort William, Kirkwall and Lerwick, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.

Read more: Serviced Plots for Self-Build · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know

Serviced Plots for Self-Build elsewhere in Highlands & Islands

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

CallFree appraisal