Land promotion is the longer game. It means getting a site allocated for development in a Local Plan, or securing permission on its own merits, so that the land is worth considerably more than it is today.
It can take years, it involves cost and risk, and not every site is suitable. Our job is to help you understand whether yours is, what the realistic options are, and what you would be signing up to.
What promotion can involve
- Local Plan promotion: putting a site forward when the council asks for land (the ‘call for sites’) and making the case for allocation
- Speculative planning applications: applying for sites that are not allocated but have a case on policy grounds
- Promotion or option agreements: a developer or land promoter carries the cost and risk of promotion in return for a share of the uplift
- Joint ventures: working with a partner, or promoting and developing the site yourself
What we do
- Appraise the site and decide the most promising route
- Prepare and submit representations for the Local Plan, with a clear case for the site
- Engage with council planning policy officers, and with parish and town councils where it helps
- Help you read promotion and option agreements and understand the commercial terms, so you can take informed advice
- Coordinate the technical work needed for a strong case: access, ecology, flood risk, landscape and heritage
A typical route
Appraise
We test the site against policy and constraints and tell you honestly whether it is a candidate.
Choose a route
Local Plan, application or a deal with a promoter. We set out the trade-offs of each.
Build the case
Technical work, a clear vision for the site and early engagement with the council and the community.
Pursue the outcome
Representations, an application, or both, through to an allocation or a decision.
Worth knowing
Timescales are long. A site allocated through a Local Plan can take years to reach a planning permission, and the plan-making system is itself being reformed. We check where each council is in the process.
Where a promoter funds the work, you give up a share of the proceeds. Whether it is better to fund the work yourself or take a partner depends on the site and your appetite for cost and risk. We lay out both.
We are not solicitors. Promotion and option agreements are legally binding and can tie up land for many years, so always take legal advice before you sign.
Common questions
What is the difference between promotion and just selling?
Selling the land as it is usually means a price that reflects its current use. Promotion aims to secure planning permission or an allocation first, which can raise the value substantially but takes time and money and may not succeed. It is a trade-off between certainty now and potential later.
What is a promotion agreement?
A contract in which a promoter agrees to try to obtain planning permission for your land in return for a share of the sale proceeds or a fee. Terms vary a great deal, including how long your land is tied up and what the promoter takes. Get legal advice before signing.
Can any land be promoted?
No. Sites need a realistic planning case, usually a sustainable location, safe access and no insurmountable constraints. A site appraisal tells you quickly whether yours is a candidate.
This page is general information, not legal or professional advice on your site. Planning policy and rules change, so we check the current position for every project.