To watch the full episode on YouTube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_hyD8CSelM

In this episode, Paul is joined by Kevin Ellis, the founder of The Land and New Homes Network. After just 8 years he is working with over 100 UK estate agents across 450+ locations. Helping them to pull plots of land that are owned by different owners into a package of land that is big enough for a developer to build on (land assembly) and finding the right developer.

Kevin explains how land assembly works, how to spot opportunities, and how to deal with unrealistic landowner expectations. They also discuss why builders do not bank land and the issues that are stifling including affordable, net zero and sustainable housing in developments.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Land assembly is the process of combining two or more small adjacent plots into a single parcel. Plots that are then big enough to be developed.
• Estate agents are in the perfect position to spot land assembly opportunities.
• Off-market deals are a good way for small developers and builders to source the land to provide good-quality housing.
• Often, explaining how much the houses will cost to build is the best way to manage landowners' unrealistic expectations.
• Fully assessing not only what the land can be used for but also whether there actually will be a market for it by the time the houses are complete is essential.
• Agents collaborating with developers to source and develop land is a huge win-win for them and the community they are working in.

 

BEST MOMENTS

“Land is literally the lifeblood of the industry. Without land, there is no development”

“The amount of people who just don´t understand land economics just amazes me.”

“Educating landowners is actually a massive part of the process.”

 

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.lnhnetwork.co.uk/

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