Services

Local plan representations

Understanding your new local plans issued by the local authority is essential, so as to channel ideas and market trends in to emerging policy. Such plans are constantly being bombarded by new regulation, timescales and dictat from central government (though thankfully this may be changing) with direct consequences at the local level.

By knowing the mood-shifts and personalities involved we are able to work with town planners and planning advocates to provide high quality representations that suit both the case and the local authority concerned.

Land Assembly and Landowner Agreements

It is often the case that one parcel of land cannot be developed or even considered as a prospect without another tract or several tracts of land being involved. This is common in edge of town or central commercial areas where an assembly is essential to make a viable project.

We carry out land assembly and landowner agreements from the perspective of fairness and commercial reality and is usually successful.  Our experience in this sometimes complicated and exacting exercise is based on many years of dealing with factionalized land interests where personal and money-making demands are apparently extreme to the extent they are insurmountable.

Not always can there be a resolution: but when the genuineness of the whole project is explained and understood AND most importantly can be seen to be set into a contractual position that is clear and unambiguous, then most positions can be settled.

Site Search –  including buildings

Often quietly and without revealing names or sources we carry out effective site search so business can evolve without unwanted external forces impinging.

Sometimes this involves many options being evaluated and also we can act as an interface to represent the best interests where confidentiality is paramount.

Agency

Selling land or buildings into specialised markets is not always best achieved by expensive marketing campaigns. Knowing who and where to go is all-important and we often work with major agencies to achieve the best result. We consistently achieve  results that  exceed expectations and are proven to be well in line with markets.

On land and development projects (see also Development Consultancy) we are in constant touch with the existing and the emerging developers in the region and understand their requirements which are always evolving to meet new targets and ideas. The assessment of emerging market data is essential to good advice and we have a sufficient pipeline of transactions to provide accurate service to inform marketing and client expectations.

See our projects page for some examples

Options and Promotion Agreements on land

We are experienced in acting for landowners in creating a sale contract which may be conditional on planning or some other event. We aim to align the interests of both the developer and the land owner in order to deliver the enhanced price. The production of a fair option for a developer to buy land must be judged against all the factors required to deliver the enhanced price.

This should provide a landowner a risk- free route to seeing good returns provided the partner is credible and able – something we attempt to recommend at the outset.

Leases

We have a day-to-day working knowledge of commercial leases and advise on the up-to-date practice for a landlord or tenant.

Where necessary we can refer to a panel of lawyers for legal interpretation.

Planning Service

We co-ordinate the lead-up and submission of planning applications on commercial and rural projects. With our knowledge of the ever changing rules, our established contacts with the local authorities we aim to assist a process that is fraught with regulation and protocols. By bringing in and working with a team of other professionals on matters such as highways and environment we progress an application as quickly as possible.

We are able to advise on the viability of a scheme. Items of planning gain, such as infrastructure, affordable housing or off-site works, can be evaluated to see whether the terms (often known as 106 agreements) are in line with current practice and if they affect the commercial reality of a project, then negotiate to achieve a viable position. Contact us for a without obligation discussion.

Ransoms & Boundaries

We deal with legal postions and diputes relating to land and often produce an unusually acceptable result.

Development appraisals and viability reports

Using industry standard computer based appraisal system we are able to evaluate and understand the sensitivities of a particular scheme . This tool is commonly used in assessing viability for developers or to argue viability in connection with agreening planning conditions and legal arrangements ( under section 106 of the town & Country Planning Act 1990).
Phased and mixed develpments are better interpreted through accurate financial modelling in these appraisals whose results can be used to support land price and viability advice.