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Our Services
"With a Planning Success Rate of in excess of 90% over a period of almost forty years, our record serves to prove that the difference between the ordinary and the extra-ordinary is just that little bit extra..."
How we operate
We have been developing with Distinction since 1987 and our expertise are wide ranging, including a learned understanding of all aspects of ground conditions, build processes and planning considerations.
Whilst we do still build small scale high quality developments from time to time, in continuance of our company's beginnings, our principle operations now lie in identifying and acquiring land, both brownfield and greenfield and ranging in size and scale from perhaps a small parcel, suitable for one detached high-quality home, to large scale tracts of land for new master planned residential communities and everything in between. We then progress these sites through the intricacies of planning and development plan processes, at our cost and risk, aiming to unlock the significant added value of the land for development uses, before selling these sites on to third party developers, utilising our considerable experience and knowledge, to optimise the sales price ultimately achieved.
We are not Developers, Planning Consultants or a Land Promoter of typical sorts; in fact we eschew the latter title particularly as our expertise, experience and activities stretch beyond those of typical Land Promotion companies. We are much more entrepreneurial in our approach, interests and activities. Most of all, being a family run business, we pride ourselves on our honesty and integrity of dealing at all times. Our reputation is of the utmost importance to us and unlike many modern day corporate land promoters and developers, where very often staff come and go at the offer of a better paid job, you will deal with a member of our family team from start to finish.
Furthermore, unlike many land promoters and developers, in addition to entering into Option and/or Promotion Agreements we will also consider the upfront purchase of all types of land and property with/without planning permission, using our own considerable cash resources, which enable us to make all decisions internally and quickly, without the need raise upfront financing from, or obtain the permission of, anyone outside of our company. As a privately owned, family run company, in this regard, the combination of our down to earth, straightforward approach and financial resources is unique with few, if any, directly comparable competitors.
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Operating in a very niche environment; our enviable long-term - almost 40 year - track record of success is important to us and we carefully select the sites and projects we wish to pursue, which number just a handful at any one time in order to ensure that we can work with unfaltering attention to detail on every aspect of the scheme, to achieve planning permission and enable us to acquire your site for development. Whilst operating with attention to detail and standards which are second to none, we keep our direct overheads low and the quality of our work and outputs high at all times.
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Although we could never guarantee or promise that we will always be successful in obtaining planning permission for the projects we take on - and any company or individual that did would be lying - we do always promise our landowner partners that you will not find anyone who will work more thoroughly, tirelessly or tenaciously through that process, giving 100% of our best efforts at all times and leaving no stone left unturned in seeking to achieve the desired outcomes.
Whilst the commercial terms we offer for opportunities reflect our many invaluable attributes - level of knowledge, experience, record of success and proven abilities; ultimately partnering with a company led by experienced yet approachable individuals whom will provide the best chance of successfully delivering the desired outcomes of obtaining planning permission and unlocking the development value of the land is the most important factor for landowners. Indeed, if someone were to offer you the sky, it would be of no use if they could not ultimately deliver it and in the words of legendary investor, Warren Buffett - it is better to have a partial interest in the hope diamond than the whole of a rhinestone. In this regard, our reputation for delivering for landowners is second to none.
The Process
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Following Initial discussions, if you have initiated contact with us, we will need some time to review the Planning Policy Position in respect of your land and the Local Development Framework for your area, this includes Local Development and any Neighbourhood Plans. Armed with this information we will be in a better position to inform you whether we believe the land has potential for development and enable us to understand the timescales and work involved in pursuing Planning Permission. We do not want to waste your time or our own and will tell you if we do not think the land is suitable or is not of interest to us.
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We monitor the planning promotion & application processes closely every step of the way and provide any additional inputs necessary either directly or via our specialist teams of retained consultants, to ensure the best chance of planning success first time.
If we are successful in achieving planning permission for the land, on the basis the land was subject to an Option or Conditional Contract Agreement, we will then seek to exercise our contract to purchase the site from you on the terms already agreed. Upon completion, you will then receive the agreed financial consideration for the land.
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Following on from our Initial discussions, we will then seek to arrange a suitable date and time with you to undertake a site visit, where we will introduce ourselves formally, answer any additional queries you may have and ultimately, walk the boundaries of your site to understand the lay of the land, local features and surroundings.
At this stage, we will then go away to reflect on the opportunity and if we still believe from our experience that the land has development potential, we will contact you again to outline our proposals and seek to agree terms for the acquisition of the site.
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Provided we are able to agree terms to purchase your land, either by way of upfront purchase, an Option Agreement or Conditional Contract through direct negotiation with you or your appointed agents/legal representatives, we will then pursue the site through the planning process, wholly at our expense, to secure the required Planning Permission/s. This is often an arduous process which requires significant investment, both in time and financial expenditure, often with a high degree of risk attached. However, at this stage, this is our risk and you will have no out of pocket expenses in relation to our work pursuing the planning permission.
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In the event we are ultimately unsuccessful in achieving planning permission for the land, this means we will have exhausted all viable options available to us, such as resubmission or planning appeal as we never take on any site or submit a planning application unless we are comfortable that we would take that application to Planning Appeal if required.
On this basis, whilst Planning Permission would not be forthcoming, you can rest assured that we will have given 100% effort to securing planning permission for your land, with the significant costs to us this will have entailed. Not you.
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Whatever the final outcome, the Risk in pursuing planning permission is borne entirely by our company. Any financial outlay and losses are always borne by us alone - you will not be charged a penny for our time or services in pursuing the required planning permission/s and if we have entered into an Option/Promotion or Conditional Contract Agreement with you, will continue to own your land.
The land remains yours at every stage of the process until we exercise our Option/Promotion or Conditional Contract Agreement to Purchase the site for the already agreed financial consideration.