Land Promotion process
How it works
Securing planning permission for your land and selling to a developer can be complex, expensive, risky and stressful.
Our strategic land promotion teams across England and Wales will:
- Manage the whole process for you
- Take on all the cost and risk
- Design schemes with care and consideration that maximise value
- Ensure the best outcome for all stakeholders, whatever the brief
- Deliver high quality permissions quickly and efficiently
- Keep you updated, and involved if you wish to be, throughout the whole process
We aim to start promoting your land as soon as Heads of Terms and an Exclusivity Agreement is completed. You are free to sell the site during the promotion period.
Is your land suitable for strategic land promotion?
We believe our land is a precious resource and that where developed, it should be used wisely. There are several factors we consider when deciding if your land is suitable for promotion:
- Planning prospects Is your land included within a current or emerging Local Plan allocation? Or does it have planning merit as an independently deliverable scheme for new homes or commercial deveopment? There may be short-term strategies on certain sites in the right circumstances.
- Land type and quality We consider brownfield and greenfield sites. We will look at sites in the Green Belt, Grey Belt and technically challenging sites.
- Size We generally consider large, long terms strategic sites of 5 acres and upwards and are promoting sites capable of accommodating between 50 to 2,000 dwellings.
- Location For residential development, land should be in a sustainable location on the edge of large villages, towns and cities. For commercial development, land should be close to large cities and towns and the motorway network.
Leaving a lasting legacy with design quality
Like you, we want your land to leave the best impact, creating places for people to live, work, rest and play well.
Under the direction of our award-winning Group Design Director Charlotte Lewis, our distinctive masterplans are carefully designed using quality architecture and placemaking to deliver the best outcome for all stakeholders and harmonise with existing communities.
As part of our planning agreements, we also make Section 106 contributions to support local housing provisions, education health and local highways improvements amongst other items.
Delivering the vision
Understandably, a common concern amongst landowners is that designs proposed in masterplans won’t be carried through to the final development.
Such is the depth and quality of our masterplans that they have hardly ever been altered by developers when the develop the site.
Planning conditions, parameter plans and design coding for larger schemes all help ensure our high design standards are honoured. This can be further protected through contractual mechanisms.
Technical Innovation: Approaching sites like a developer
In addition to our extensive masterplanning, the due diligence by our expert in-house technical and planning delivery teams helps move along schemes in the quickest possible time, attracting more developers to bid for the site on the open market.
We produce extensive Sales and Technical Packs which help developers to easily identify opportunities and risks, and how they can be managed, mitigated and enhanced to add value.
This means more developers bid on our sites, driving a very competitive process and a smooth sale.
Finding the right solicitor
Legal advice is vital when entering a land promotion agreement to sell your land, to ensure your interests are protected.
We can recommend local independent solicitors.
Get in touch for a no obligation chat about your land >
How does land promotion benefit landowners?
The benefits for landowners using a land promotion group such as Richborough is that the costs of planning, applications, marketing and submission are all covered by us as land promoters, greatly reducing the risk for the landowner. As experts in land promotion for both residential and commercial spaces, a PPA between you and us ensures that every part of this complex, confusing and costly process is handled correctly by our team in the quickest timeframe and best manner possible.
What is the process of land promotion?
The land promotion process is handled in several key stages which can be broken down into:
- Site Assessment: A detailed on-site evaluation of your land to determine its development potential for either commercial or residential sales
- Planning application: Paid for by Richborough, our team creates a masterplan for submission of planning applications
- Community Engagement: We work closely with local communities, councils and authorities to gain local support and dedicate a budget to successfully advertise the project
- Securing of Planning Permission: Our comprehensive plans are reviewed by local authorities to ensure the best possible chance of approval
- Sale to Developers: Once planning permission has been granted, we market the land to developers and ensure a competitive sales price with a dedicated marketing campaign
What costs are involved for land promotion for the land owner?
Richborough will cover all costs associated with the land promotion process to reduce the risk for landowners. This includes planning applications, legal fees, consultations with local authorities, marketing, on-site visits and local community outreach. As we take on all financial responsibilities, you as a landowner will incur no costs until the land has been successfully sold.
How long can the land promotion process take?
Whilst times can vary, typically the whole land promotion process from our first contact with you to the final sale usually takes between 18 months and 3 years depending on a multitude of factors such as the type of your land which you are looking to develop such as residential, commercial or mixed purpose. Contact us for more information.
What if my land doesn't sell?
If your land does not sell after securing planning permission, Richborough continues to work on your behalf to maximize its marketability. By leveraging our extensive network of reputable developers we can make changes to our marketing strategies to ensure that a buyer is found. Additionally, landowners are not burdened with any financial risk, as we cover all costs throughout the land promotion process. For more information, reach out to our team here.
An architect friend knew how complex the whole process would be. He recommended Richborough as they have a great reputation and years of experience. We are really happy with how it all went. The Richborough team were fantastic and always kept us informed. There was always someone on the other end of the phone or they were happy to pop over and see us if needed which was a great comfort. We’re really pleased it has created lots of fantastic new homes for families.