Land Promotion Process

If your land had potential, we will make an offer detailing how we would partner with you by way of either a Promotion Agreement or an Option Agreement to obtain a planning permission, the likely timescales involved and how we will be paid at the end of the process.

The considerable costs associated with obtaining planning permission are paid entirely by us at our risk; it is only when permission is obtained and the site is sold that we take a pre-agreed split of the sale proceeds.

We will not own the land so the landowner is free to continue to use the land and to collect any rent or other income from the land whilst planning permission is being obtained.

Our initial appraisal will set out the most effective strategy for obtaining a planning permission.

Some sites will need careful promotion through the Local Authorities Plan Review Process, which will involve making representations to the Local Plan, attending Plan examinations and careful monitoring of the Councils Housing Land Supply position to obtain an Allocation for Development in the Local Plan, before a planning application can be made.

In other cases, it might be appropriate to go straight to the Planning Application stage.

Our planning strategy is individually tailored to each site to ensure the best chance of success.

Sigma will instruct an experienced professional team to prepare a planning application. There is a lot more to the making of a successful planning application than is immediately apparent. In addition to quality architects plans and design there is a whole raft of technical reports, surveys and other supporting documentation that will be required. Each site is unique but typically a planning application will require:

• Design & Access Statement
• Viability Assessment
• Draft Legal Agreements/Undertakings
• CIL/S106 to cover developer contributions & affordable housing delivery
• Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment
• Heritage
• Ecology
• Archaeology
• Trees
• Flood Risk
• Transport & Highways
• Drainage including SUD’s Strategy
• Provision and adequacy of mains services
• Contamination & remediation strategy
• Statement of Public & Community Involvement

All of this work is undertaken by Sigma Strategic Land at our cost.

Whilst it is always our preference to obtain a satisfactory planning permission at local level, this is sometimes just not achievable for a variety of reasons. This is not unusual and Sigma Strategic Land are very experienced in leading planning appeals. Due to the complexity of such sites an appeal by way of Public Inquiry or an Informal Hearing is usually required.

Sigma Strategic Land will instruct an experienced team typically lead by a Planning Barrister supported by a team of Expert Witnesses who will produce robust evidence and attend the appeal to give evidence to the Planning Inspector. The Planning Inspector is independent of the Council and is appointed by the governments Planning Inspectorate.

Once planning permission has been obtained then we will proceed to market and sell the site to the best bidder in the case of a Promotion Agreement or to complete the purchase in the case of an Option Agreement.

Where appropriate, an external specialist land agent will be instructed to market the site and to identify the preferred purchaser.