Joint venture for land in County Durham
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
A landowner joint venture is a partnership where the owner contributes land and we fund and manage planning and delivery, with the proceeds shared on an agreed basis after agreed costs are recovered. It can unlock more value than a sale but involves more risk, longer timescales and closer involvement.
Joint venture for land in County Durham
We use joint ventures for suitable land across County Durham. County Durham here includes the Tees Valley towns of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool as well as Durham, Chester-le-Street, Consett, Bishop Auckland and the former coalfield villages. Green Belt protects land around Durham and between the Tyne and Wear conurbation and nearby towns, while the North Pennines National Landscape covers the west. Former colliery land, edge-of-village fields and older industrial sites are common sources of housing land.
The East Coast Main Line and A1(M) run north to south through the area, linking Darlington and Durham with Newcastle. Much of the county is former coalfield, so mining risk checks are routine, and nutrient neutrality advice has applied in parts of the Tees catchment draining to Teesmouth.
National policy in England now recognises "medium development" of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares, and asks councils to allocate at least 10% of their housing on sites of one hectare or less and a further 10% on sites of one to 2.5 hectares.
In England, a planning permission normally has to be implemented within three years unless the council sets a different period, and councils aim to decide minor applications within eight weeks and major ones within thirteen.
Parts of County Durham are Green Belt, though not every town has any nearby. We check early whether a site is inside it and, if so, whether a grey belt or previously developed land case could apply.
Parts of County Durham fall within North Pennines National Landscape. Protected landscapes carry strong policy protection, so land in or next to them needs particularly careful assessment.
In short: you contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed. It usually suits owners of larger or well-located sites; landowners who want a long-term interest; sites where a sale would undervalue the long-term potential. See how a joint venture works for the full process, pros and cons.
Land in County Durham that often suits a joint venture
WantedResidential development land
Sites on the edge of Durham or the villages nearby can be worth a conversation, especially where they are well connected by road and bus or rail. For owners who want to share in the value of the finished homes.
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WantedLand without planning permission
Plenty of land around Durham has never had permission. What we look for first is whether new homes would fit with the existing pattern of the place. For owners who want a bigger share of the upside in return for more risk.
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WantedInfill plots
We look for infill plots across Durham and the surrounding villages, particularly where there is room for parking off the road. Possible if you would like a share of the sale of the new home.
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WantedStrategic land
Larger landholdings on the approaches to Durham are where strategic land usually comes from, particularly near transport links. For owners who want a closer partnership and a share of the profit.
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WantedSmall sites
In Durham, small sites are often the leftover pieces: a side garden, an old garage block or a gap where a building once stood. Possible if you want a share of the finished homes.
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WantedRedundant buildings
Across Durham, empty offices, shops and former pubs can find a new life as homes when the building and the planning position line up. Possible where the owner wants to share in the conversion.
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WantedSites with lapsed or refused planning
Sites around Durham with an old refusal can be worth a second look, especially where local or national policy has since changed. Possible where owners want to share the upside of a better scheme.
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WantedAllocated and promoted land
Around Durham, allocated sites and land put forward to the council are usually the furthest along, so they can often move faster than land at an earlier stage. For owners of larger allocations who want to share in delivery.
Learn moreTowns we cover in County Durham
Joint venture: questions
How are profits shared?
By agreement. Common models include a priority return for the land followed by a share of profit.
What if the venture does not get planning?
The agreement sets out what happens. In a simple contractual joint venture the land usually stays yours, but company or partnership structures, or a lender's charge, can change that, so take advice on the structure.
Is a joint venture right for me?
It suits owners comfortable with more risk and a longer timescale. We will say if a sale or option looks a better fit.
Do you use joint ventures for land in County Durham?
Yes. We use joint ventures across County Durham and the rest of England, where the structure suits the site and the owner.