For land agents and surveyors
Introduce a Site With Development Potential
We work with land agents, rural surveyors, solicitors and accountants whose clients own land near towns and villages in England. Your client relationship stays yours, and your introduction is rewarded.
How We Work With Introducers
Introduction Fees
We pay an introduction fee on any site you introduce that leads to a signed agreement. The fee is confirmed in writing before you share any site details.
Your Client Stays Your Client
We will not go around you to your client, and we are happy to put that in writing before you introduce a site.
Retained on the Deal
Where you act for the landowner, we contribute to your client's professional fees, including yours, so you can advise them through to completion.
Quick, Straight Answers
We review every introduction and give you a clear yes or no within 2 working days, with our reasons.
What We Are Looking For
The same things your client would want to know about.
- Land of about 2 acres or more, next to or well related to a town or village.
- A realistic route to a safe road access.
- Most of the land outside flood zone 3 and outside strong designations such as SSSIs.
- A council that is behind on housing delivery, has an out-of-date plan, or is preparing a new one.
- Green Belt land that could qualify as grey belt, particularly previously developed land or land that does little to keep towns apart.
- All owners willing to consider an agreement.
If a site does not meet one of these, send it anyway. Part of a holding may work where the whole does not, and we will always explain our reasoning so you can report back to your client.
| Type of site | What usually makes it work | More detail |
|---|---|---|
| Farmland on the edge of a town or village | Land that reads as a natural extension of the settlement, with a realistic access and no single constraint across the whole site. | Farmland |
| Paddocks and small sites | From about 2 acres, next to or within a village or town, where a modest scheme could sit comfortably. | Paddocks and small sites |
| Old yards and brownfield land | Previously developed land, including in the Green Belt, where redevelopment could be acceptable. | Brownfield and yards |
| Inherited land | Executors or families who want a clear process and time to agree among themselves. | Inherited land |
Sites That Are Usually Harder
- Land mostly in flood zone 3, or with no realistic route to a safe access.
- Land entirely within a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or deep inside a National Landscape or National Park.
- Land in a narrow gap between two towns in the Green Belt, which rarely qualifies as grey belt.
- Land already under an option or promotion agreement that has years left to run.
We would still rather hear about these and give you a quick, reasoned no than have you guess. Our guides to flood risk, grey belt and access and ransom strips set out the tests we apply.
What Helps Us Decide Quickly
- The title number or a plan showing the boundary.
- The current use and any tenancies, grazing licences or occupiers.
- Any planning history you know about, including refused applications.
- Known issues with access, drainage or rights of way.
- Your client's aims, timescale and any preference between an option and a promotion agreement.
You do not need to have all of this. A location and a rough size are enough for a first view. If you have more, these help too:
| Extra information | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Whether the land has been put forward to the council before | Tells us where it stands in the local plan and whether anyone else has put it forward. |
| Who owns it, and in what capacity | Executors, trustees and joint owners all need to agree, so it shapes the timetable. |
| Known ecology, such as ponds, old hedgerows or protected species records | Affects the layout and the cost of Biodiversity Net Gain. |
| Photos or notes from a site visit | Shows access, levels and boundaries that maps can miss. |
| Any other offers or approaches your client has had | Lets us say early whether we can compete, instead of wasting your time. |
How Introductions Work
Introduction terms are agreed in writing before any introduction. They cover the fee, when it is paid, how long the introduction stands, and what happens if we already know the site or have already been in touch with the owner. Once terms are signed, you send the site and we log it against your name.
Solicitors, accountants and other advisers who do not act on land deals themselves are welcome to introduce sites. In that case your client will need a land agent or surveyor to advise on the terms, and our contribution to professional fees covers that too.
If you act for the landowner, your client should know about any introduction fee before they sign heads of terms. Your professional body's rules on conflicts of interest and referral fees will apply, and we expect the fee to be disclosed to your client in writing.
How We Treat Your Client
- We deal through you, unless you ask us to speak to your client directly.
- Heads of terms come to you first, with our reasoning, so you can advise before your client is asked to decide anything.
- Your client is never asked to pay us anything, or to sign anything before taking independent legal advice.
- There is no pressure on timing. If your client wants to wait for a local plan stage or compare offers, that is their decision.
- We explain every term in plain English, so your client understands exactly what they are agreeing to.
Confidentiality
We treat every introduction as confidential. We use the details only to assess the site, and we do not contact the owner, tenants, neighbours or the council about it without your agreement. Details are shared only with those assessing the site with us, including our joint venture partner, on the same confidential basis.
If you need a confidentiality agreement before sharing anything, ask for one with the introduction terms. If the site does not suit us, we will tell you, and we will not approach the owner later without going through you.
What Your Client Gets
Your client is offered an option agreement with a purchase price agreed at the start, set above the current value of the land. We fund and run all of the planning work, including appeals, at our own cost and risk. If planning is not achieved within the option period, your client keeps the land and owes nothing.
We contribute to your client's legal and agent fees, so you can advise on the terms, negotiate on their behalf and act on the eventual sale without your client paying out of pocket. The terms that matter most, and the questions a careful adviser will ask, are set out in option agreements explained.
For clients weighing up the alternatives, our comparison of the routes sets out how a fixed price compares with a promotion agreement or an outright sale, and is written to be shared with clients.
The Process for Introducers
- Confirm terms. We confirm the introduction fee and non-circumvention in writing.
- Share the site. Send the location, title number or plan, and anything you know about it.
- Desktop review. We review the site and give you a clear answer with reasons.
- Heads of terms. If the site works, we send heads of terms for you to discuss with your client.
- Agreement. Solicitors draft and complete the option. Your fee is paid in line with the agreed terms.
Introduce a Site
Send us the details below, or call us to talk it through first.
Talk to Us
Reply time
We reply to every enquiry within 2 working days.
Offices
- LondonBerkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BD
- MidlandsColmore Gate, 2 to 6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD
Everything you tell us is kept confidential. We are happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement before a site visit if you would like one.
Questions From Introducers
When is the introduction fee paid?
On the terms agreed in writing before the introduction, usually on completion of the option agreement. We confirm the amount and timing before you share any details.
Will you contact my client directly?
Only through you, unless you ask us to. We are happy to sign a non-circumvention agreement.
Can I introduce a site my client has already put forward to the council?
Yes. Land already submitted to a call for sites or included in a draft plan can be a strong prospect.
Will you show me how you reached the price?
Yes. We explain the scheme we have assumed, the main costs and the allowance for planning risk and time, so you can test the figure and advise your client on it. Our land value page shows the method.
My client has already had a letter from you. Can I still introduce the site?
Tell us when you first get in touch. The written introduction terms set out how a site we already know is treated, so neither of us has a surprise later.
Do I need my client's permission to introduce the site?
Yes. Please confirm the owner is happy for you to share the details. Where there are several owners, such as executors, trustees or siblings, all of them will need to agree before anything is signed.
Do you consider sites with an existing promotion agreement?
Not while an agreement is in force. If one has expired or is about to, we are happy to look.
Find Out What Your Land Could Be Worth
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