Helping a trust to prepare their agriculture land for residential development and secure a sale

This client story involves one of our longstanding clients; a Trust of which Gilbert Green is a Trustee. Our client was able to gain from our knowledge of them, the site and our experience in negotiating planning agreements and dealing with national house builders.

Planning advisers were first instructed in 1998 and thereafter there was ongoing dialogue between the client’s advisory team and the local authority leading to a resolution in 2014 to grant planning for in excess of 140 new houses.

The ability to promote the site rested largely on identifying and securing acceptable access. We acted in the negotiation and conclusion of an option to acquire adjoining property which formed the access for the development. We drafted and negotiated with the Borough and County Councils a section 106 Agreement to enable the grant of planning. Throughout we also worked closely with the Trust’s tax advisers to achieve a tax efficient structure.

Since the grant of planning we have been involved in negotiations with a national house builder for the sale of the site, which lead to completion of a sale at the end of 2015. We continue to be involved in relation to a potential second phase of development, which involves agreeing strategy and negotiations with a potential purchaser.