top of page

Book an Online Consultation Before Buying a Plot of Land Anywhere in the UK

If you are considering buying a plot of land to build a house you need advice from an experienced professional before going ahead. This is one of the most riskiest and expensive investments it is possible to make, so you need to get it right. 

​

I will sense check your ideas, timescale, budget and give you my view on the odds of getting planning permission approved before you commit to buying land to build a house.

Online Consultations with Real Life Architecture are available if...

  • The property is in the UK. 

  • You intended to build a single house, not multiple properties

  • There isn't already an architect involved. 

  • Consultations are private and confidential. Videos featuring properties from earlier consultations were made with the client's approval. If you don't want your property to feature in a video that's totally ok, I will always ask and it won't affect the consultation if you say no. 

​

Follow this link for the full Terms & Conditions 

What can you expect from the online consultation

​

  • The purpose of the consultation is to establish whether the project is feasible and affordable within your budget.

  • Identify alternative ideas that might achieve a better result for you.

  • Refine your ideas and requirements, to make the best use of your property and budget.

  • Advise on pitfalls to avoid during the planning application process.

  • Identify requirements of the building regulations relevant to your project.

  • Help you understand how to find the right local architect for your project.

​

The consultation is done online, via a zoom call. Once the consultation is booked I will ask you to email me with specific information about the property. I will need photos, the full postal address and as much information as you can give me on your requirements, including your budget and timescales. ​

 

Please be aware I will not provide design services, drawings or specifications as part of the consultation. 

​

I will write you a summary of the consultation afterwards so there is a record of our discussion. The summary email will come with a copy of my Project Guide document. 

Popular Posts About Buying Land to Build a House

Frequently Asked Questions When Buying a Plot of Land in the UK

What are the most common reasons a plot of land turns out to be unsuitable for building on?
The three most common deal-breakers are access, drainage, and site size. A plot must have a legal, defined access point from the public road — without it, you cannot build. Drains must either connect to the public sewer or have sufficient land area to form a private septic tank or treatment plant that meets current regulations. And the plot must be large enough to accommodate a house while complying with the local authority's minimum spacing and separation requirements. These are the first three things I assess in a consultation before buying a plot.
​
The plot I'm looking at has outline planning permission — does that mean I can definitely build a house on it?
Outline planning permission means the principle of building a house on the site has been accepted by the local authority. It does not mean you can start building. You will still need to submit a detailed planning application agreeing the specifics of the design, and a separate building regulations application before construction can begin. Outline permission also has an expiry date — typically three years — and the conditions attached to it will need to be discharged before construction starts. A consultation can help you understand what those conditions mean in practice.
​​
How do I find out whether a plot can connect to mains drainage, or whether a septic tank is the only option?
The public sewer network map is publicly available through Scottish Water, Dwr Cymru, NI Water, or the relevant sewerage undertaker in England. This shows the location of the nearest public sewer and whether a connection might be viable. If mains drainage is not practical, a private septic tank or treatment plant is the alternative — but this requires sufficient land area and the right ground conditions. A percolation test assesses whether the soil can absorb effluent adequately. These are site-specific questions and a key part of any plot assessment.
​
What does road access have to do with whether I can build on a plot?
Access is a fundamental planning requirement. A plot needs a defined, legal access point to a public road. If that access crosses land owned by someone else, you need a legal right — a road maintenance agreement or a servitude in Scotland. Access width and visibility splays also matter: the local authority has standards for how wide an access must be and how far sight lines must extend in each direction from the junction, based on road speed. A plot without secure legal access is effectively unbuildable regardless of its planning status or what the seller tells you.
​
What is a ransom strip, and why does it matter when buying a plot of land?
A ransom strip is a narrow piece of land — sometimes just a metre or two wide — that sits between a plot and the public road, retained by a previous owner when the land was sold. If the plot has no legal access to the road except across that strip, the owner of the strip can effectively block development — or demand a significant payment to grant access rights. Ransom strips are a genuine hazard when buying plots, particularly on land that has been divided or carved out of a larger holding. Your conveyancing solicitor must check the title deeds carefully for any gap between the plot boundary and the adopted road. A plot with an unresolved ransom strip should not be purchased until the access issue is legally resolved.
​​​
A plot is being sold cheaply with no planning permission at all — is it worth investigating?
Plots without planning permission carry higher risk and should be priced to reflect that. Before buying, the key question is whether the site has any realistic prospect of gaining permission. Some plots are cheap because they have an obvious planning problem the market has already priced in — the site is too small, has no viable road access, or the local authority has a policy against new housing in that location. A consultation can give you a high-level assessment of whether the site looks buildable and what the main planning risks are, before you commit to purchasing it.

bottom of page