Inside Property Development

Who really creates land value, who cashes in, and could changing how we tax land finally shift development from easy Greenfield wins to regenerating the brownfield sites where we actually need homes? – Tune in to find out. Paul once again sits down with Tony Vickers to unpack why the UK housing crisis is so deep and to discuss ways to fix it. They reveal why so many developers are pushed towards easier Greenfield deals while complex brownfield sites stall despite people wanting to live there more. Paul and Tony look at how smarter land and property taxation, like that used in Hong Kong, could rebalance incentives, so that more of the right homes get delivered in the right places. Use Paul´s Scorecard to test your current development assessment process and work out exactly how to improve it. Click here - http://bit.ly/MLASCORE or https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com KEY TAKEAWAYS Land value rises because of what’s built around it e.g. new transport links,  – not what the landowner does. They sell that land at a huge premium, which means what is built on that land is expensive - the landowner gets the bonus - the people who move there effectively pay for it. If we push taxes on landowners too far selling is no longer viable, so sites don’t come forward and homes don’t get built. A middle ground has to be found. Most brownfield sites are too expensive and way too risky to develop. The numbers just do not stack up, so developers favour greenfield sites. Tax reform and funding can potentially be used to de-risk brownfield development and make it viable again. The number of hoops developers need to jump through to meet planning and environmental regs has reached the point where many developments are no longer financially viable. Well‑run planning committees with transparent processes, site visits and basic viability knowledge can unlock good schemes, while poorly run ones can kill perfectly workable projects.  Better shared understanding between developers, councillors and communities about risk, viability and constraints could improve housing delivery as much as new policies or regulations. BEST MOMENTS “I don't think there's a lot wrong with the planning system, as Sir Jim O'Neill was indicating, it's the property tax system.” “There's human behaviour, there's environmental costs all factored in, and what I fear is that the government has given itself this impossible target.” “You've got to strengthen the hand of the local authorities a by allowing them to charge the full cost for developers.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode of Inside Property Development, Paul expands on the ins and outs of land trading. Including how to source off-market opportunities, add planning value, and decide when to sell or build. To help him do this, Paul shares the details of a recent experience he had of selling a small, fully de-risked site on LinkedIn. This episode highlights the changing property landscape, the vital role of land traders, and provides advice for SME developers who are navigating today’s complex planning and building environment. KEY TAKEAWAYS Prioritise finding off-market land opportunities and securing optimal planning permission yourself to maximise profits and reduce risk. It is not wise to rely solely on buying sites with planning already in place. Mastering the skills of land trading and planning adds value not just to your own projects but also helps to fill a critical gap. As planning systems become more complex and intimidating for newcomers the UK needs more people to learn how to land trade. Be adaptable in your sales approach; for smaller or unique projects, public promotion (like on LinkedIn) can connect you with the right buyers. Solely, relying on private networks is not always the right approach. Investing in education, mentorship, and knowledge sharing within the industry not only supports your own growth but helps sustain and grow the wider SME property development community. BEST MOMENTS “There's no point people complaining about land traders - if the system was simple and easy as it should be, there wouldn't be any demand or need or market for land traders.” “If you are a house builder or a developer … you have absolutely got to be de-risking things to start with.” “I can get the planning, so I'm literally creating opportunities for people to build out that wouldn't otherwise exist.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years; experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this week's episode of Inside Property Development, Paul covers a subject a lot of his trainees at the Milbank Land Academy are asking about - land trading, option agreements and profit agreements. He explains how they are different and shares some use cases for each of them. If you have a question about property development or today´s episode, we would love to hear from you! Please drop your questions in the comments section on YouTube or reach out to Paul directly at https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk/contact-us. Your input will help shape future episodes and ensure that Paul is covering the topics that matter most to you, so it would be very much appreciated. KEY TAKEAWAYS The majority of profit in property development comes from finding off-market sites, securing them at a sensible price, and maximising their value through strategic planning and design enhancements. Securing land via options, especially £1 options is a very good way of getting land at the right price. Landowners are happy to do this. You do the work to establish whether the land can be built on, and they know how much you will pay to take final ownership. Land trading enables you to acquire off-market sites on favourable terms, maximising it´s value through planning, and then either sell the contract or rights, rather than building to make your profit. Honing your fact finding and relationship building skills is essential, regardless of what approach you use. Landowners, like all people, want certainty so offering them a fixed price helps to get deals over the line. Promotional deals are best suited for long-term land opportunities with uncertain future value. They let landowners and developers share in the uplift once planning permission is secured, rather than setting a fixed price up front. BEST MOMENTS “Finding off-market sites, securing them on sensible terms, typically one pound option agreements and then adding maximum planning value… creates massive value.” “They (landowners) are way, way, way less inclined to agree to a promotion type deal or a discount to market value deal when it's relatively short term.” EPISODE RESOURCES Milbank Academy Scorecard - https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years & experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University. CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul sits down with Tony Vickers, Chairman of West Park’s Council, who has had a long career in land use, planning and property development. Together, they discuss how land value is created, the case for land value taxation, and what it will take to solve the UK’s housing crisis. Paul and Tony explore why collaboration between developers, policymakers, and communities matters, drawing on international examples and hard-won experience to reveal what really drives land values—and who should benefit. KEY TAKEAWAYS Traditional adversarial relationships in property development are holding us back. Collaborative approaches between policymakers and developers are essential for addressing housing shortages. The value of land is significantly influenced by the surrounding community and public investment, e.g. infrastructure, amenities, and shared demand, not so much by the owner. A land value tax would share the fruits of the value increase more fairly. Taxing land value, instead of just housing transactions, encourages development, can fund local services, and make housing fairer. Tony shares the details of the exact mechanisms that make this happen. The complexity of the UK system has led to sector consolidation at all levels, including with contractors. SME´s struggle too much to compete, simplification is part of the solution. Continued dialogue to ensure all stakeholders and lawmakers have a clear understanding of the challenges and joint advocacy for policy reforms are vital to solving the housing crisis. BEST MOMENTS "A landowner does not create the value of the land. It’s everybody else around it." "We should be thinking of land as something that we all own the value, because we’re all helping to create it." "Developers are behaving perfectly rationally, doing as they do. The government has got to step in and change the tax system." "If you tax an event or a transaction, you are deterring that event or transaction, which is why stamp duty is such a daft tax." "We’ve got to be much more collaborative and try and work together, despite it being competitive." "There is a real housing crisis. There is a real environmental crisis, and yet they’ve got to turn a profit on building those houses and protecting the environment." House of Commons Report https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/49932/documents/268911/default/ British Housebuilders History Analysis by Fred Wellings https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/british-housebuilders-history-analysis/author/wellings-fred/ ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years of experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Today, Paul sits down with Philip Barnes, former UK group land and planning director at Barrett who now works part time for Savills. Together they explore the challenges and opportunities facing today’s property developers. Including discussing the stark differences between SMEs and major housebuilders, the impacts of planning reforms, environmental regulations, and financial hurdles. They share what is really shaping the future of the UK housebuilding industry. Whether you’re an industry insider or curious about how policy and economics influence the building of new homes, this candid and sometimes alarming episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS The economies of scale gulf between large scale and SME housebuilders is growing, making it even harder for SMEs to survive. Developers are not enjoying large margins. That is a misconception. When margins are tight it doesn´t take much for a company to go bankrupt. The barriers to entry are growing bigger making it really difficult for new housebuilding firms to get established and make a profit. Build costs are increasing faster than house prices. Increasingly banks are pulling the plug on small developers. Some are actively lending on questionable projects knowing that the likelihood of it failing is high. The UK housebuilding industry does not operate in a collaborative or cartel-like environment. It is highly cutthroat and driven by intense growth pressures, so expecting and basing scheme delivery on close collaboration is unrealistic. If you're working on a set margin, and something like nitrate neutrality is an issue, that can delay you for a couple of years, long enough to make many firms go bankrupt. BEST MOMENTS "If you're a little guy, you can't afford to be spending fortunes on potential deals that don't go anywhere." "Lots of abortive costs is a real operational issue in the planning system." “Developers big and small are not building.” "You can only get kicked in the nuts for so long before you start not liking it anymore." "The Nature Restoration Levy and Environmental Development Plans, if done well, will massively help... My worry is that might not happen for two or three years." ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-barnes-70a44119 ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Can collaboration really solve the housing crisis? seasoned property developer and industry expert Paul Higgs explores the challenges facing SME developers, housebuilders, and planners — and why the confrontational nature of the industry must change if we’re to create better homes and more sustainable communities. With over 40 years’ experience in land, planning, and development, Paul shares candid insights into the complex planning system, the decline of SME developers, and the urgent need for joined-up thinking across all sectors of the housing industry. If you’re interested in understanding what’s really holding back development — and how collaboration can unlock new opportunities — this episode is a must-listen. KEY TAKEAWAYS The housing and affordability crisis can’t be solved in isolation — collaboration is essential. The property development industry has been too confrontational; cooperation between stakeholders is crucial. SME developers and smaller housebuilders are declining, partly due to planning complexity. The Millbank Land Academy Scorecard helps developers assess and improve their processes. Sustainable housing requires developers, planners, and policymakers to work together rather than in opposition. BEST MOMENTS “We all need to understand property development from every angle — not just our own.” “The industry has become confrontational, and that’s stopping us from creating the homes people need.” “If SME developers can’t survive the planning system, we’ll lose a huge part of the housing supply chain.” “The only way we’ll solve the housing crisis is by working together.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode Paul speaks with Adam Dainow, Co-Founder of Caswell&Dainow, to unpack the realities of small-site development, the challenges of working with local authorities, and why good design is central to great places. Adam & Paul discuss the public misconceptions about development, the truth behind “garden grabbing”, and how collaboration between architects, developers and planners can transform even the smallest site into something exceptional KEY TAKEWAYS Developers aren’t the bad guys. They’re the ones taking on risk to deliver housing while navigating complex planning systems and public criticism. “Garden grabbing” is a lazy term. Building in large, underused gardens can be an intelligent and sustainable way to add housing where people actually want to live. Honesty matters with landowners. Being transparent builds long-term trust, even when expectations around land values are unrealistic. Finding land is about process and persistence. From direct letters to research and relationship-building, there’s no secret shortcut — only consistency. Social media works. Instagram, with its visual storytelling, has become Caswell&Dainow most powerful communication and brand-building platform. BEST MOMENTS “Developers are not the baddies. We’re the ones putting our houses — and often our homes — on the line to build for others.” “Most architects want to be developers, and most developers want to be architects. The best projects happen where the two meet.” “You can’t build on any old garden. If it’s the right size, in the right area, it can be the perfect place for a new home.” “Being honest with landowners is key. You can’t fake authenticity — people sense it immediately.” “Good design is not a luxury; it’s the foundation of successful, sustainable development.” ADAM DAINOW INFORMATION https://www.caswellanddainow.com/ https://www.instagram.com/caswellanddainow Milbank Land Academy Scorecard – bit.ly/LAND-SCORE Bricks & Mortar (The Times) feature: Garden Grab – The Planning Overhaul That Offers Homeowners a Chance to Cash In Panorama Documentary – The Truth About Property Development (BBC) ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul reveals the disciplined approach that has enabled him to maintain a flawless 40-year record of securing planning approvals. Drawing on decades of experience, Paul explains the strategies developers can use to strengthen their own applications, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate complex planning regulations with confidence. KEY TAKEAWAYS If at first you do not succeed, appeal. Paul has done this many times and has never lost an appeal. Take your time when putting together your plans. You need to do as much as you can to avoid getting a refusal on a site. Sometimes this can blight a site. Educate yourself about planning. Paul did this partly by going to planning meetings and observing what went on out in the real world. Book learning only gets you so far. Paul recommends qualifying as a Chartered Planning and Development surveyor like he did. He explains why. Never assume you know everything. That is why Paul still works with planning consultants. But at the same time, he also double-checks everything himself. Look at every little thing and think about how it applies to your site. That means keeping up with regulations, monitoring which planning applications are approved and which are denied and understanding why. Be all over all of the details. Do the planner's job for them to make it easier for them to approve you than it is for them to refuse you. BEST MOMENTS “Having a planning strategy before you even start is a big part of how I've got a 100% planning permission track record.” “You don't really want refusals on your sites …. sites with refusals can sometimes get a bit blighted.” “A lot of those applications I've had to win at appeal.” “Be super detailed. Reverse engineer everything.” “Understand all of the things that might come up before they come up and address them at the application and design stage.” “You do need to learn and understand quite a lot of this stuff well, as much of it as possible yourself, in order to spot the angles, the opportunities and the pitfalls at an early stage.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠ Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠ YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul looks back on his remarkable journey through the world of property development. From his humble beginnings as a labourer on construction sites to becoming a successful developer, Paul shares his valuable experience. Paul opens up about the challenges currently facing the property industry, the growing importance of sustainable development, and why he proudly describes himself as a “hippie property developer.” KEY TAKEAWAYS Paul's early struggles: ADD and adoption shaped his drive and work ethic, ultimately contributing to his success in property development. The Importance of Understanding: Land & planning is crucial for successful property development, more so than just construction knowledge. Option Agreements: Can be a powerful tool for developers to control land without significant upfront capital, allowing for bigger deals. The 2008 Financial Crisis: Nearly wiped out Paul's business, highlighting the importance of careful financial management and choosing the right lending partners. Property Development: Has become increasingly difficult over the years, with the number of SME house builders drastically declining since 1988. Sustainable Development: Working with nature is important, but financial viability must also be considered to incentivise developers. The Role of A Property Developer: Is like a conductor of an orchestra, overseeing various aspects and experts to create successful projects. Building Relationships: Working with the right people is crucial in property development, as it's challenging to do everything alone. BEST MOMENTS "I eventually came to realise you need to know a lot more than just about construction in order to be a property developer. In fact, I came to realise that what it's really all about is land and planning." "I'm a bit of a weird one because I'm a sort of hippie property developer, but I'm living in the real world so I know what it takes to get deals done." "Most developers actually go bust, certainly the smaller ones. People don't really know about that. They just see the success stories and think we're all flying around in helicopters, making fortunes. It's not like that for most of us." "We're basically the conductor of the orchestra, so we need to see the bigger picture and how everything fits together. We're the ones that take the big risks, the ones that have to put our wotsits on the line." "The problem is, you know, when you build cheap, you build shit, you create shit, the whole environment goes to shit, people start acting like shit, and everything goes to f*cking shit." ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠ Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠ YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

Are modern methods of construction really the answer to the UK’s housing crisis, or are there deeper challenges holding back development? Michael Keaveny, Director of Land and Development at Grainger PLC, to further discuss the realities of property development in the UK. They discuss why innovation alone isn’t enough, how regulations like Gateway 2 impact viability, and what’s really needed to deliver more affordable housing. This conversation will give you a clearer understanding of the obstacles, and opportunities, that are shaping the UK´s home building industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS Innovation, including Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), is not a silver bullet. Builders are not Luddites; if a new way of doing things is better and cheaper, they adopt it. At Grainger, specialist subcontractors who have the expertise to ensure each system e.g. Foundations and cladding are installed correctly and efficiently, do the design. Making the building more practical and buildable. Most of the time building rules are made by people who have no practical experience of building homes. If you've got a lot of money going out before any starts coming in, it completely changes the numbers and makes things unviable. Banning off-plan sales to international investors makes it much harder to finance and build new homes. High construction costs and slim margins mean it’s not viable for developers to build homes that ordinary people can afford. It is far too big of a risk. Without external financial support, e.g. subsidies, affordable housing isn’t viable under current market conditions. BEST MOMENTS “If it’s more expensive than traditional building, it’s got no business case.” “Gateway two has stopped a load of schemes coming forward.” “The only way we could build much cheaper flats is if the cost of construction dropped.” “The message is getting through because development has stopped.” “People who would head towards nimbyism, what they're really voting for is really to block the next generation.” EPISODE RESOURCES Part 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/land-planning-and-viability-the-hidden/id1750859336?i=1000729415826 ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION In this episode, Paul is joined by Michael Keaveny, Director of Land and Development at Grainger PLC, whose career spans decades in the property development sector, from hands-on project management to leading major urban regeneration projects.  Together, they discuss the realities facing today’s property developers, including exploring why SME developers are disappearing, the mounting challenges of viability, and the complex economics behind affordable and social housing. Mike and Paul unpack the myths around land banking, reveal the true impact of planning delays, and discuss why the current system often fails to deliver the homes the UK needs. KEY TAKEAWAYS Developers are not land banking, they are building on it as fast as the market can absorb. The biggest issue in property development is viability. Balancing land costs, construction expenses, affordable housing requirements, and market values is not possible for many sites. Delivering affordable and social housing is rarely viable without the provision of significant subsidies. Even when the land is provided for free.  High affordable housing targets can make projects unviable, especially for smaller sites. Flexibility and realistic expectations are needed to ensure developments can proceed. Developers are not the villains - most want to build quality homes and contribute to communities, but are hampered by systemic challenges. The loss of SME developers reduces industry capacity, innovation, and competition, making it harder to meet national housing targets and address the housing crisis. BEST MOMENTS “No developer, especially not large house builders, could possibly buy a site and then sit on it and hope the value of the land goes up. It’s absolute rubbish.” “Viability is the biggest issue in development. If it doesn’t stack up, it doesn’t get built…simple as that.” “If you want the housing crisis solved, you need to start listening to the people that are trying to solve it.” “Affordable housing is a land value tax. Every single affordable home has a negative land value attached to it.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION Are you ready to unlock the real secrets of successful property development? In this episode, Paul draws on his 40+ years of experience to reveal why the smartest developers focus on planning, design, and off-market deals to maximize value and minimize risk.  This episode includes practical strategies, insider tips, and the mindset you need to thrive in today’s property market.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Developers need to understand planning law and how various financing structures work themselves. Relying solely on consultants is not sufficient, they do not see the big picture e.g. an architect won´t know how to negotiate land deals that work. Finding off-market deals and minimizing competition is crucial. Sourcing property deals off-market helps avoid bidding wars and protects profit margins.  Clever negotiation and securing opportunities on the best possible terms e.g. Using £1 option agreements and optimizing planning and design, developers can maximize value and profit before entering the most risky and costly stage which is building. BEST MOMENTS “In property development the risk is really how much time you need to spend on things, how much money and how much expertise you need.” "All of the clever money and the value is created way before you get to the building bit." "Being overly reliant on consultants is pretty much the worst thing you could do, and probably the biggest mistake that I see people make." "Even now after 40 plus years, 90% of my deals are done on £1 option agreements, even though I could go just slapping money down, buying things if I really wanted to." "Property development is all really about finding the best, minimising competition and then adding maximum value so that you've de-risked the process before you start. That's the key." EPISODE RESOURCES £1 property option agreements - https://www.ivoox.com/the-power-of-1-option-agreements-my-audios-mp3_rf_155852828_1.html ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul & David Van Der Lande delve into the complexities of compulsory purchase orders (CPO) and development viability, featuring insights from David, a compulsory purchase and viability expert. They discuss the historical context of CPOs, their application in urban regeneration, and the challenges faced by local authorities in utilising these powers effectively. KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding Compulsory Purchase: Compulsory purchase powers are utilised by government entities to acquire land for public benefit, often for infrastructure projects or urban regeneration. Local authorities have specific powers, such as Section 226, to facilitate regeneration efforts. Viability Challenges: Viability is a critical aspect of property development, particularly as it relates to the existing use value of land. Developers must ensure that the residual land value from a proposed development exceeds the benchmark land value, which is typically based on existing use value plus a potential premium. Negotiation and Collaboration: Successful development often requires extensive negotiation with landowners and collaboration with local authorities. Developers should engage early with local authorities to align their proposals with public benefits and policy requirements. Flexibility in Planning Obligations: Planning policies often allow for flexibility in affordable housing requirements. If a development proposal is not viable under full policy compliance, developers may negotiate to reduce affordable housing quotas to make the project financially feasible. Importance of Evidence and Justification: Developers must provide robust evidence and justification for any deviations from planning policies, particularly regarding affordable housing. This includes demonstrating the financial viability of the project and undergoing scrutiny from independent experts on behalf of the local authority. BEST MOMENTS "Viability is a massive, massive, massive subject and becoming increasingly important as things become more and more unviable." - Paul "If the public benefit outweighs the importance of protecting the private rights, then essentially you've got a prima facie case." - David "It's not easy to get local authorities to do it. Unless it's pretty big and there's a pretty big benefit, they're probably not going to do it." - Paul ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠⁠ Millbank Land Academy: ⁠⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠⁠ YouTube - ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul sits down with leading industry expert Esther Kurland to explore the complexities of property development, planning policies, and the challenges faced by local authorities in delivering quality housing. They discuss how design standards have evolved, the influence of government policies such as CABE and the London Plan, and the ongoing struggle between private development and the public good. KEY TAKEAWAYS Good design in property development remains a driving motivation for industry leaders. CABE was a pivotal force in raising architecture and design standards. Local authorities are increasingly under-resourced, struggling with planning challenges. Although planning has shifted toward pro-development, delivery is hampered by systemic underfunding. Balancing density and quality is essential to building sustainable communities for the future. BEST MOMENTS “Promoting good design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about building communities that last.” “CABE set the stage for a whole new way of thinking about planning and architecture.” “Local authorities simply don’t have the resources to keep up with the demands of planning.” “We’ve made planning more pro-development, but without resources, the system still doesn’t work.” “Density and quality don’t have to be in conflict—done right, they can complement each other.” HOST BIO Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years of experience in land, planning, and development, with a 100% success track record in securing planning consents. Starting with his first refurb project at 17, Paul worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land at Barratt Developments, one of the UK’s largest housebuilders. In 2002, he left the corporate world to establish Millbank Group, now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company. In 2013, he founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first dedicated training company for property developers, sharing insider knowledge the big housebuilders would rather keep secret. Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations at London South Bank University. LinkedIn: Paul Higgs Millbank Land Academy: millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram: @paulhiggsofficial YouTube: Inside Property Development This podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media.

Britain has been facing a housing shortage for decades, and the promises of 300,000 new homes a year remain unfulfilled. In this episode, Paul & Lewis Herbert explore why affordable housing is disappearing, how policy changes and planning hurdles have hurt small developers, and what it means for families struggling to buy or rent. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Housing Shortage Crisis: Britain has long failed to meet housing demands, with government targets of 300,000 homes per year largely unmet. This shortage drives up prices and rents, disproportionately affecting lower-income households. Decline of Smaller Developers: Since the late 1980s, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) builders have dwindled due to complex planning regulations and market pressures. Their decline has reduced bespoke, community-focused housing development. Impact of Policy Changes: Shifts in policy, particularly since the 1970s, have reduced the construction of social and affordable housing. The move away from council housing has increased reliance on an increasingly unaffordable private rental market. Affordability Issues: The gap between income and housing costs has widened, making homeownership harder for younger generations. Families now face much higher multiples of income to afford a home compared to previous decades. Need for a Comprehensive Strategy: Solving the crisis requires a cohesive approach that addresses housing needs at all income levels. Building more homes and ensuring affordable options are available is critical to preventing homelessness and supporting vulnerable populations. BEST MOMENTS: “We haven't been building enough homes for years and years, particularly since the mid-'70s.” “The people who suffer the most... are on the bottom rung of the ladder.” “I can't support claiming we're going to build 300,000 unless I can see where the numbers come from.” “The ability to put up buildings… with modern methods… is not the only solution.” “Housing is a bit of a tragedy and it is now swallowing a far higher percentage of a lot of people's incomes.” ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠ Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠ YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠ This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

In this episode Paul talks through the significant barriers faced by house building developers, emphasising the critical issues of land availability, planning complexities, and the current skills shortage in the construction industry, Paul shares insights on the importance of understanding the development process and not overly relying on consultants. KEY TAKEAWAYS Land and Planning Challenges: The primary barriers to growth for house building developers are the cost and availability of viable land, along with the complexities and delays in the planning system. These issues have been persistent and are worsening, leading to a significant housing shortage. Skills Shortage in Construction: There is a critical skills shortage in the construction industry due to a lack of training and apprenticeships over the years. This has made the actual building process more challenging, compounding the difficulties faced by developers. Over-Reliance on Consultants: Many developers make the mistake of being overly reliant on their consultants, particularly architects and planning consultants. It is crucial for developers to have a comprehensive understanding of the entire development process to effectively manage and instruct their consultants. Importance of Knowledge and Experience: For smaller developers, possessing a certain level of knowledge and experience is essential to navigate the complexities of property development. This knowledge helps in managing the various consultants and ensuring that the development process runs smoothly. The Insider System: A structured approach, referred to as the Insider System, is essential for successful property development. This system emphasises the importance of instructing consultants rather than merely asking for their input, highlighting the developer's role in coordinating the entire process to achieve optimal outcomes. BEST MOMENTS "The cost and availability of viable land and the planning system are the biggest barriers to growth for house building developers." "Building in a sustainable way, and in particular, protecting and looking after nature is a massively important thing." "When developers become overly reliant on their consultants, particularly architects and planning consultants, that is usually where things can go very, very wrong." ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, Paul sits down with property developers Phill Williams and James Emmons  to discuss the issues that are preventing SMEs from building new homes in the UK. Including some of the things that can be done to mitigate the risks that are making this problem worse. Paul also shares the details of a new piece of software he is creating to help developers very quickly identify whether a site is financially viable or not. KEY TAKEAWAYS The chance to develop on the grey belt is a once in a lifetime opportunity for developers. Planning in the UK is so slow and complicated that most SMEs can no longer build. They don´t have the skills to get through planning or the necessary cashflow. Dodgy lenders are actively feeding off of the complexity of the UK´s building system. Some lenders deliberately withhold funds at crucial drawdown points, knowing that the developer will no longer be able to fund the deal. The lender then takes it off of them and makes the money themselves. Often, inexperienced developers make the deal, only to realize later they missed something, and the numbers don’t stack up. Affordability is the big elephant in the room – when sales are too slow the risk for the developer becomes too high. Per sq. ft build costs has reached the point where in some parts of the country, especially where property prices are low, there is no way to make a profit. BEST MOMENTS “Someone has got to de-risk and create the opportunities for other smaller developers to build.” “Stacking the schemes correctly is absolutely crucial.” “Modular, in my opinion, isn’t going to be the main thing that solves the housing crisis.” “Modular manufacturers don’t really understand the land and planning market well enough.” “Partial funding to mitigate or share risk, I think is a way forward.” “Coming up with the scheme that's going to maximize land values is really the art of property development.” “It's really important to pay good tradespeople on time and pay them fair rates.” EPISODE RESOURCES Land Economics episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/land-economics- 101/id1750859336?i=1000711086989 ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years & experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

For this episode, Paul is joined by veteran planner Esther Kurland, the director of UDL, who has extensive experience, including roles at London Transport, the GLA, and several other local authorities. Esther provides an in-depth look at the challenges property developers currently face, how we got here and, importantly, how these issues can be overcome. Including, multi-time cities, planning for objectives rather than by numbers and communal spaces e.g. Play areas being shared by small groups of neighbours, which could change the density matrix. KEY TAKEAWAYS Esther's personal experience of living in a poorly designed housing estate sparked her interest in urban planning. Planning policy is still too complex.  Developers must now achieve multiple objectives including growth, public good, and financial viability. Some planners think they exist to facilitate growth, others think they exist to facilitate community good and each type of planner tends to only focus on that one thing. You need a certain density of people to get neighbourhood facilities to work. If you only build suburbs, you end up needing expensive transport infrastructure. If you plan for quality, you automatically produce a development that is the correct density for the site. Esther explains how that happens. Planning policies that say what they are trying to achieve e.g. Good ventilation encourages designers to innovate. Local authorities are critically under-resourced so developers must be prepared to engage more collaboratively. BEST MOMENTS “We literally took the policies out of those 20 different documents and put them in one little concertina booklet that you could put in a pocket.” "We seem to have been going through planning reform forever. It will settle down now, but we're still not there." “The planning system has become more and more housing target driven.” "I think we're building a lot of slums, basically in some of the schemes we see in the highest densities." EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.urbandesignlearning.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-kurland-33017115 ABOUT THE HOST  Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.  In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode Paul takes a deep dive into the government’s emerging “Grey Belt” concept — and whether it could be the planning breakthrough needed to ease the UK housing crisis. Drawing on over 40 years in the housebuilding industry, Paul explains what Grey Belt land is likely to mean in practice, how it differs from traditional Green Belt, and why the viability of sites will be the make-or-break factor. You’ll hear real-world examples, policy insights, and practical tips on how developers — especially SMEs — can identify and approach these sites. If you’re serious about development opportunities in a changing planning landscape, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss. KEY TAKEAWAYS The “Grey Belt” will likely refer to poor-quality or previously developed Green Belt land, often with existing buildings or dereliction. Public perception of the Green Belt is often romanticised — not all of it is pristine countryside. Proximity to existing settlements and sustainable transport links will be critical for planning approval. Viability is the key issue — high affordable housing requirements could stall many potential sites. Tools like LandTech’s Land Insight can help identify likely Grey Belt opportunities. The policy could open up new sites for development — but it won’t solve the housing crisis alone. BEST MOMENTS “There shouldn’t be any sides in this — we should all be working together to create good housing and places.” “Not all Green Belt is beautiful fields and forests — some of it is derelict and crying out for redevelopment.” “The million-dollar question is: how messy does a Green Belt site need to be before it’s classed as Grey Belt?” “If viability isn’t handled sensibly, very few of these sites will ever be developed.” HOST BIO Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!  Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.   CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Paul dives into one of the most powerful tools in a developer’s toolkit – the £1 option agreement. Despite sounding too good to be true, option agreements are a tried-and-tested way of controlling land without needing huge amounts of upfront cash. Paul explains what they are, how they work, why landowners agree to them, and how they can be used to unlock serious planning gain. KEY TAKEAWAYS Option agreements give you control, not obligation – you can secure land while buying time to add value, without committing if the market changes. Landowners benefit because developers take on the cost and risk of increasing the site’s value. The real profit comes from planning uplift – using knowledge and expertise to turn a £1m site into a £2m+ opportunity. Negotiating the right price is critical – get it wrong and the deal isn’t viable. Option agreements can also be sold or assigned on, meaning you can profit without ever completing on the land. Success depends on deep planning knowledge – anticipating objections, reverse-engineering the process, and effectively “doing the planners’ job for them.” Paul’s approach has helped him maintain a 100% planning approval track record over four decades. BEST MOMENTS “Why would I spend millions buying land if I can control it with a pound and a piece of paper?” “Option agreements buy you time – and in property development, time is everything.” “The name of the game is making the pie as big as possible, and then negotiating how it gets divided.” “I’ve never had a landowner pull out of an option agreement in 30+ years – when done right, they’re rock solid.” ABOUT THE HOST Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years’ experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. He worked his way up from small refurb projects to becoming Head of Land at Barratt Developments before founding his own award-winning development company, Millbank Group, in 2002. In 2013, Paul launched the Millbank Land Academy – the UK’s first training company dedicated to teaching developers the strategies the big housebuilders would rather keep to themselves. He is also a founding investor in PropTech leader LandTech and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations at London South Bank University. CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: Paul Higgs Millbank Land Academy: millbanklandacademy.co.uk Instagram: @paulhiggsofficial YouTube: Inside Property Development