Core service
Development management.
From acquisition to consent and exit.
Acting as your development manager: running the site, the team and the planning process from acquisition through to disposal or delivery.
Owners and developers without an in-house team need someone to run the scheme on their behalf. We manage the acquisition, the consultant team, the planning application and the appraisal, and advise on the best way to realise the value once consent is secured: sell, build or hold.
Who it is for
For landowners with a site and no development team, for developers who need capacity on a scheme, and for investors and family offices funding a scheme they do not want to run day to day. We act on your side of the table, from the first appraisal to the point the value is realised.
What it covers
- AcquisitionAssessing the site, the price and the terms, and coordinating due diligence with your solicitor.
- The teamAppointing and managing the architect, planning consultant, engineers and surveys the scheme needs, and no more.
- PlanningSetting the planning strategy and managing the application through to a decision.
- The appraisalA live appraisal, updated as the design, costs and values move, so decisions are made on current numbers.
- ExitAdvice on whether to sell with consent, build out or hold, and managing the route chosen.
- ReportingRegular reporting to you and your funders on progress, cost, risk and the decisions needed.
How it works
- 1
Appraise
Review the site, the constraints and the numbers, and agree what a good outcome looks like. - 2
Assemble
Appoint the team, and set the programme and the budget. - 3
Consent
Manage the design and the planning application through to a decision. - 4
Realise
Sell with consent, build out or hold, whichever the appraisal supports.
Questions we answer
- 01What can be achieved on the site, and what is it worth with consent?
- 02Who needs to be appointed, and when?
- 03What is the route to planning consent, and where are the risks?
- 04Once consented, is it better to sell, build out or hold?
What you receive
- One point of responsibility for the scheme
- Consultant team appointed and managed
- Planning application managed through to decision
- Live appraisal and a disposal or delivery strategy
Acting as development manager for a developer, we handled the acquisition of the site, secured planning consent and then helped the client dispose of the consented asset.
Read the write-up →Guides
Common questions
- What is the difference between a development manager and a project manager?
- A development manager acts for the owner across the whole scheme: the site, the team, planning, funding and the exit. A project manager runs the delivery of the works. We do both, and on many schemes one appointment covers both.
- Do I need a development manager if I already have an architect and a planning consultant?
- They advise on design and planning. A development manager is responsible for the scheme as a whole: whether it is viable, what it will cost, when decisions are needed and how the value is realised.
- Can you take over a scheme that has already started?
- Yes. We can pick up a site with consent, a scheme that has stalled, or one that needs a fresh look at the numbers before it goes further.
- How are fees agreed?
- The scope and fee are agreed for each appointment in writing before work starts.