FAQs

Why would I buy a woodland site?

For lots of reasons. Firstly buying land is the best investment you will ever make. But whilst it is earning you money, you can use your woodland site for walking and exploring, camping, fishing, forestry (coppicing, planting etc.), photography, drawing, study of wild life, relaxation and many more uses.  And when you leave it in your will, it benefits from Woodland Relief - reducing your inheritance tax!  Why would you not want to buy a woodland site?

How long will it take to buy it?

Your lawyer should be able to do it within 4 weeks but it sometimes takes up to 6 weeks. There are several things you can do to speed up the process. The main ones are to give your lawyer the purchase money early and specifically ask them to process the purchase speedily. For more information, read our Scottish Legal Guide.

Can I build a house on my woodland?

No: you are unlikely to get planning permission. There is a very good article on planning in woodlands published by Chapter 7.

Even in the exceptional cases of owners gaining permission to build houses in their woods these have occurred only where people worked their woodlands for many years and shown that this was their main source of income.

Can I build anything?

Yes, certain things, but only for forestry purposes and only with planning consent. There is a notification process, requiring you to tell the local authority before you start. The Lochaber local plan has zoned this are for a mixture of forestry and existing uses.

Will it be a good investment?

A woodland site is likely to be the best investment you have ever made, perhaps not from the timber-growing point of view but in terms of the enjoyment one can get from them. The woodland sites will also show a good financial return as demand for this sort of amenity woodland increases. If or when these sites can be developed for residential purposes, their value will increase 30-fold at today's prices.

What if I eventually want to sell my woodland?

You are totally free to sell your land at any time without reference to us, but we will try to help if we can and if you wish.