Is My Land Suitable for Development?

As a landowner you may be considering development but are unsure what to look for when deciding whether your land would be suitable for this.

Rosconn Strategic Land has helped highlight some key areas of interest to review when weighing up whether or not your land has development potential, as well as what potential buyers and property developers would consider of high importance. 

Will the Council Approve? 

This will very much depend on a wide range of factors such as the sustainability of the settlement, age of the council’s local plan, heritage constraints and any designations that may cover the land parcel.

For example, if your property is designated Green Belt land it will likely need to be formally removed from the Green Belt through the local plan process before planning permission for development would be appropriate. There are only a limited range of exceptions such as ‘limited infill’  or limited affordable housing which are not considered inappropriate development in the Green Belt. The government places great importance to Green Belts with its fundamental aim to prevent urban sprawl. 

Is there a Call for Sites in your area? - This is really important to consider and could increase your chances of development opportunity. If the local council is looking for land within your area for development, this is a great time to put forward your site to help the local council Identify appropriate sites in preparing their local plan. 

Do You Have a Suitable Access point?

One of the key features property developers and buyers would look for when considering a piece of land for development is an access point. Although it is not necessary to have an existing access point it is important to consider where an access could be placed on your land during development. Asking yourself these questions could help:

• Is your land situated in an adopted road? 
• Can safe pedestrian and cycle links to facilities be achieved?
• Is there enough space to make way for vehicles, or could this be achieved? 
• Will additional land have to be negotiated with neighbours to secure an access point? 
• How will this affect the wider community? 

Draining the Land

There are guidelines in place to ensure drainage is possible on land for development. It has become apparent over a number of years that this must be guaranteed before planning permission and point of sale can be achieved. When considering development on your land this is one of the most vital points to review – where will the rainwater landing on roofs, roads, and gardens go? Some popular options with most landowners are to incorporate drainage into nearby lakes and streams into their plans. This may require approval from neighbouring landowners or the council and existing surface water run off rates must not be increased. 

Working with a Land Promoter

With all these important areas of interest in mind, it may be beneficial to consider working with a Land Promoter. A Land Promoter can work alongside you, as a landowner, to prepare your land and plans for development. They will help navigate all the important steps in increasing the chances of planning permission being approved, whilst achieving the highest value for your piece of land. Opting to work with a Land Promoter would take away the stress and worry about legal fees, logistics, and ensuring you are at no financial risk. As well as being able to help in the coordination of surveys to review access points and land drainage.