Land & Garden Planning Uplift
Unlock your land’s potential, with Zero financial commitment.
Unlocking development value through a planning-led approach
Many landowners own sites with unrealised development potential - whether that is an unused parcel of land, a side plot, or part of a larger garden.
Often, that potential remains untapped because planning permission feels uncertain, costly, or complex.
Our planning uplift model exists to bridge that gap by allowing landowners to benefit from potential development value
without taking on planning risk or upfront cost.
What we mean by planning uplift
Planning uplift refers to the increase in land value that can occur once planning permission for development is granted.
Square Acre Property & Land Ltd specialises in identifying land where planning permission may be achievable and investing our own funds and expertise to pursue that permission.
Rather than asking landowners to fund or manage the planning process themselves, we take responsibility for the work, with terms agreed clearly in advance.
How the process works
While every site is different, a planning uplift project typically follows these steps:
Initial site review
We assess the land in context, considering planning policy, precedent, access, constraints, and market demand.Agreement of terms
Where the site is suitable, we agree a price for the land before planning permission is pursued. This provides clarity on value from the outset.Planning investment
We fund and manage the planning application, including professional fees, reports, and submissions.Outcome and sale
If planning permission is granted and a buyer is secured, the sale proceeds on the agreed terms.
If planning permission is not granted, the landowner is not required to fund the planning costs we have incurred.
Option agreements explained
To facilitate this process, we typically use an option agreement.
An option agreement is a well-established legal arrangement that allows a developer to pursue planning permission while giving the landowner certainty on price and next steps.
The agreement sets out:
The agreed purchase price
The duration of the option period
The obligations of each party
What happens if planning permission is granted or refused
Nothing proceeds without full understanding and agreement from both parties, and landowners are encouraged to take independent legal advice.
Why landowners choose planning uplift
Landowners explore planning uplift because they want:
To understand whether development potential exists
To avoid funding or managing planning applications
Certainty on value rather than speculation
A professional, low-pressure process
Not every site is suitable for development. Where planning prospects are unrealistic, we will say so.
A considered, transparent approach
Planning-led projects require patience, realism, and experience.
Our role is not to promise outcomes, but to assess potential carefully, manage risk responsibly, and pursue opportunities where planning uplift is genuinely achievable.
“One of Hannah’s standout qualities is her understanding and attention to detail. She approaches every task with a calm demeanour, even under demanding and tight deadlines’’
— JEROME SMART
Start with a conversation
Exploring potential does not commit you to anything.
If you own land or a larger garden and would like to understand whether there may be development potential, now or in the future, we would be happy to have an informal, no-obligation conversation.