Much has happened over the past 12 months’ since Boris Johnson announced the UK would ‘Build, Build, Build’ following the setting out of some of the most radical planning reforms seen since the rebuild following the end of the second world war.
Housebuilding was then and remains one of the key catalysts in Britain’s post-pandemic economic and social recovery.
The household name developers up and down the country are battling to secure swathes of land to meet demand and their own aspirations. Smaller regional and local developers are also playing and expected to play a key role in meeting Britain’s unprecedented demand for housing by seeking out opportunities for development on a smaller scale, development opportunities which the large developers would not deem a viable or worthwhile venture.
The role of these regional and local developers should not be underestimated. These developers do not have the benefit of large in-house, land, planning, technical and legal teams. They rely on local businesses and local professionals to provide them with the necessary expertise and support.
Currently, at Neves Solicitors’ LLP, we are advising a number of local developers and landowners in relation to varied residential and mixed-use (residential and commercial) schemes.
We offer advice in relation to the legal viability of land for development, as well as navigating developers and landowners alike around a number of potential pitfalls which could otherwise see a proposed scheme deemed unviable or severely damage the profitability of a given scheme.
Some of those pitfalls might include:
Means of Access and Service Infrastructure
Planning - Consent implementable? Conditions?
Restrictive Covenants and ‘Adverse Rights’
Environmental Obligations and Considerations
The above are just a few of the considerations developers will have when assessing the suitability of land for development. It is important to obtain suitable expert advice where necessary.
At Neves, we can offer competitive professional advice concerning all matters throughout a development; from the early stages of site identification to undertaking the sales of the developed properties.
For more information or to discuss your property development plans please get in touch with our specialist Commercial Property team. Call 0330 0945 500, email info@nevesllp.co.uk or complete our Contact Form and we'll get back to you.