Free Landowner Guides for Planning, Development and Land Value

Explains why councils invite land submissions during Local Plan preparation, what a landowner should provide, how the site may be assessed and what happens after submission.

Explains land availability assessments, the tests of suitability, availability and achievability, and why assessment inclusion is different from Local Plan allocation or planning permission.

Shows how councils compare and select development sites, the evidence that can strengthen a promotion case, and the planning and value implications of securing an allocation.

Explains how housing need and housing requirements influence Local Plans, site allocations, development strategies and the assessment of additional housing land.

Explains how housing delivery is measured against the number of homes required, the consequences of under-delivery, and why the result can matter to landowners and planning applications.

Explains how community-led neighbourhood plans can allocate land, establish local planning policies and influence the way a site is promoted or assessed.

Compares full, outline, reserved-matters, Permission in Principle and prior-approval routes so landowners can understand how different forms of planning consent operate.

Explains how local authority brownfield registers identify suitable, available and achievable previously developed land, and what inclusion can mean for planning prospects.

Assesses industrial, logistics, office, research and other employment opportunities through planning policy, market demand, access, power, utilities, environmental constraints and promotion strategy.

Explains access design, visibility, highway capacity, pedestrian and cycle connections, third-party land and the evidence commonly needed to demonstrate a safe and suitable route into a site.

Covers flood zones, surface-water risk, foul drainage, outfalls and sustainable drainage systems, including how water constraints can affect layout, capacity and cost.

Explains landscape character, visibility, settlement form, sensitive viewpoints and the role of buffers, planting, density and design in reducing landscape and visual effects.

Covers habitat appraisal, protected species, seasonal surveys, biodiversity net gain, mitigation and the way ecological features can influence development layout and net area.

Explains how listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, archaeology and the setting of heritage assets can influence planning strategy, evidence and design.

Covers electricity, water, sewerage, drainage, digital networks, connection routes, capacity, reinforcement and the effect of infrastructure requirements on delivery and value.

Explains what a measured survey records, how to prepare an effective survey specification, the available outputs and how planning, highways, drainage, landscape and engineering teams use the data.

Explains the statutory metric, exemptions, biodiversity gain hierarchy, onsite and off-site delivery, 30-year management and the effect on development capacity and value.

Explains Tree Preservation Orders, conservation-area controls, root protection, ancient woodland, arboricultural evidence and how trees can affect access, layout and value.

Explains catchment screening, nitrogen and phosphorus budgets, wastewater assumptions, Habitats Regulations assessment and secured nutrient mitigation.

Explains Mineral Safeguarding Areas, consultation zones, mineral-resource evidence, safeguarded infrastructure and prior extraction before non-mineral development.

Explains what to check before responding to a developer, including planning potential, exclusivity, option or promotion terms, valuation, professional advice and avoiding premature commitments.

Explains the types of land that can be submitted for review, the main planning and technical considerations, the available promotion routes and the information a landowner can provide initially.

Explains the journey from a free initial review and agreed promotion strategy through consultant management, planning work, competitive developer marketing and completion of the land sale.