Developing Land

[Medic1281]

Has anyone any experience on developing farm land. We have a field that I think is prime for development, but I’ve very little idea about how to go about trying to get planning, or who to talk to to see if it’s viable. I’m thinking about getting in touch with local planning officer to discuss the plausibility initially. Would it be better, easier to contact a developer instead? 

Im interested to get your views on this. 

 

Regards. 

Medic.

[gdadphil]

Hi there

All land of any type is classified by the Local Planning Authority (LPA).

All LPAs need a "Local Plan" which has the strategic needs and aspirations of the LPA (the Council Officers and Elected Members behind it).

Unless land is designated for development you will probably have an uphill battle.

this is your "Local Plan"  https://shropshire.gov.uk/media/11283/09-preferred-sites-consultation-ellesmere-place-plan-area.pdf

have a look before you speak with the planners

cheers 

Gdadphil

 

[Medic1281]

Thank gdadphil, that’s not quite the area we are looking at but the info very useful all the same. I’ve looked up the plan for the area in question, but our field isn’t included in the plan, but is on the map. However, other plots on the map have been developed and they were not included in the plan. So maybe there is some hope. 

[Medic1281]

https://shropshire.gov.uk/media/7609/s18-whitchurch.pdf

this is the area. It’s in s18 inset 7, Our field is within the natural boundaries of the main roads, however it isn’t within the highlighted red bits. 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Medic1281

[figgy]

Speak to a local architect.about what would be suitable the costings and services required etc.  The council planning office will just say outright no or what they want and not necessarily what's best for you. Dealt with a few in the past, some took a while before we found a way to progress.

[oowee]

I have been involved in the development of many and varied plots of land. In my experience many that try to do this without the requisite experience invariably do not maximise the potential of the land or their subsequent financial return. The land will either need to be in the appropriate development plan or put into the plan. This can take considerable time and require upfront costs. 

If the land has the potential to accommodate more than a couple of houses then it will be in your interest to get professional advice from day one. This is unlikely to be either an Architect or a builder. You will need a property agent to value and work up a development plan / strategy. It is likely (if the plot is a few acres) that you will want to partner with a developer to work the land through the process to development. To enter into such a partnership you will need someone acting on your behalf. 

Agents will also have competing interests. They will clearly be working for you but they may well want to push the land through to development (maximising their return) prior to selecting a building partner rather than a development partner. 

Edited September 3, 2019 by oowee

[Medic1281]

13 minutes ago, oowee said:

I have been involved in the development of many and varied plots of land. In my experience many that try to do this without the requisite experience invariably do not maximise the potential of the land or their subsequent financial return. The land will either need to be in the appropriate development plan or put into the plan. This can take considerable time and require upfront costs. 

If the land has the potential to accommodate more than a couple of houses then it will be in your interest to get professional advice from day one. This is unlikely to be either an Architect or a builder. You will need a property agent to value and work up a development plan / strategy. It is likely (if the plot is a few acres) that you will want to partner with a developer to work the land through the process to development. To enter into such a partnership you will need someone acting on your behalf. 

Agents will also have competing interests. They will clearly be working for you but they may well want to push the land through to development (maximising their return) prior to selecting a building partner rather than a development partner. 

Thanks, that’s pretty much along the lines we were thinking. The field is 20acres and all within what I’d call natural boundaries within the villiage. But we were considering just doing infill along the short edge of the field and release something like 20 plots. 

 

[oowee]

You must firstly decide what you are trying to achieve. If it is to maximise the financial return for the site then plots along the side will not be the way to go. 

The last projects that I worked on in Milton Keynes were returning £2m an acre of which 50% went in pay back for section agreements (106 equivalents,affordable homes, roads access , schooling and leisure contributions) for Government owned developments.  On similar private sector schemes the same income would be subject to the same section payments but at about half the value through the way that they were phased in advantageous development tranches. 

A similar 20 acre scheme here has seen the owner relocate and set up him and his family for life. 

It's a nice position to be in, good luck.

[JRDS]

Building on Green belt should be banned period until all brown field sites are exhausted.  Once it's gone its gone.  Not jealousy my cousins are trying to develop a green field site from their farm and I feel exactly the same about that.  The countryside is being ruined wholesale, just about every barn on our 1700 acre shoot is being or has been converted also and inhabited by people with no clue of the countryside, I can see a time soon when shooting will be a bygone sport on the back of it.  Not knocking you personally this is just a general observation and HS2 don't go there!   

Edited September 3, 2019 by JRDS

[manthing]

@JRDS whilst I'm pretty much on your side are you mixing green belt up with green field?

As far as  aware green belt is a corridor/ribbon of land around a developed area designed to control the spread of that development. A green field is just that and can be located pretty much any where. 

A small green field was recently developed in Stafford, but it was prime position within the pre existing developed area. 

[Medic1281]

12 hours ago, JRDS said:

Building on Green belt should be banned period until all brown field sites are exhausted.  Once it's gone its gone.  Not jealousy my cousins are trying to develop a green field site from their farm and I feel exactly the same about that.  The countryside is being ruined wholesale, just about every barn on our 1700 acre shoot is being or has been converted also and inhabited by people with no clue of the countryside, I can see a time soon when shooting will be a bygone sport on the back of it.  Not knocking you personally this is just a general observation and HS2 don't go there!   

I know exactly where you are coming from, and fully understand your position. However, our farm will be sold within the next 10 years, if we don’t develop it, then someone else will. My family have worked hard building the farm up, making many sacrifices. I feel it should be my family that benefits from the inevitable  development.  

[NoBodyImportant]

14 hours ago, JRDS said:

Building on Green belt should be banned period until all brown field sites are exhausted.  Once it's gone its gone.  Not jealousy my cousins are trying to develop a green field site from their farm and I feel exactly the same about that.  The countryside is being ruined wholesale, just about every barn on our 1700 acre shoot is being or has been converted also and inhabited by people with no clue of the countryside, I can see a time soon when shooting will be a bygone sport on the back of it.  Not knocking you personally this is just a general observation and HS2 don't go there!   

I think if a man owns the property then he should be able to build what he wants.  

[Vince Green]

Its still very much about being in with the right people unfortunately

[TIGHTCHOKE]

4 hours ago, NoBodyImportant said:

I think if a man owns the property then he should be able to build what he wants.  

Bear in mind that you live in a massive underpopulated country, we live in a small overpopulated one!