Did you receive a letter from Hartley Residential about your site? You're in the right place!

At Hartley Residential, we're dedicated to transforming sites into successful new communities. If you've received a letter from us, it's because we've identified a promising development opportunity in your property – something we believe has significant potential.

We understand that considering a change for your land is a major decision, and every site owner has unique circumstances and goals. That's why we offer a flexible, personal approach, with a range of partnership options designed to fit your specific needs.

Our Collaborative Journey: From Our First Chat to Realising Your Site's Value

Here's how we typically work with site owners like you, focusing on clear communication and a shared vision:


Step 1: Let's Have a Friendly Chat – Understanding What Matters to You Our first step is always to listen. When you get in touch, we want to hear your story. This initial, no-obligation conversation is simply about understanding your situation. We'll chat about:

• Your Aspirations: Are you thinking of selling outright, curious about a partnership, or just exploring what's possible for your land?

• Your Priorities: What's important to you? This could be a specific timeframe, financial goals, or even seeing your land contribute to the local community in a meaningful way.

• Any Previous Interest: Have others approached you before? Knowing this helps us understand the context of your site.

Think of it as a relaxed conversation – no pressure, just an open discussion to see if there's a good fit.


Step 2: Unlocking Potential – Our Detailed Site Assessment If, after our chat, you're keen to explore the possibilities, we'll dive into a detailed assessment of your site. This is where we bring our expertise to the table:

• In-Depth Site Analysis: We'll gather all the relevant details about your property, looking at its history, current use, and how it fits into the local area.

• Creating a Vision: We work closely with our trusted architects and planning consultants to draw up an initial, imaginative development concept. This 'sketch' helps us all visualise the potential – perhaps new homes, vibrant mixed-use spaces, or something else entirely.

• Forecasting Value: Based on this vision, we carefully project the Gross Development Value (GDV) of the completed scheme. From there, we work backwards, factoring in all expected build costs, planning fees, and any potential challenges, allowing us to put forward a fair and well-considered proposal.

This thorough process ensures our ideas are robust and designed to maximise the value your site could achieve.


Step 3: Crafting Your Partnership – Flexible Solutions for Your Future Once we've identified the best way forward and agreed on the commercial terms, we'll propose a partnership structure that truly aligns with your ambitions. We offer several flexible approaches:

• 1. The Option Agreement (Our Streamlined Path)

  • How it Works: This agreement gives us the exclusive right (but not the obligation) to purchase your site within an agreed timeframe. Crucially, we take on all the risk and cost of securing planning permission during this period.

  • Your Benefit: You retain ownership until planning is granted, with no financial outlay for the planning process. Once successful planning is in place, we proceed with the purchase at a pre-agreed price, providing you with a clear, lump sum payment. It's a low-risk way for you to unlock your site's value.

• 2. The Joint Venture (A Shared Success Story)

  • How it Works: For those who want to be more involved in the project's journey, a Joint Venture means we partner up. You contribute your land, and we bring the development expertise, funding for planning, construction, and sales.

  • Your Benefit: You become a direct partner in the development's success, sharing in the profits once the homes are built and sold. This often leads to a significantly higher overall return than an outright sale, allowing you to benefit from the full uplift in value.

• 3. Payment in Kind / Asset Swap (Receiving Finished Homes)

  • How it Works: In certain situations, you might prefer to receive a pre-agreed number of completed residential units from the development, rather than, or in addition to, cash.

  • Your Benefit: This allows you to directly benefit from the completed value of the scheme. You could then choose to live in them, rent them out for a long-term income, or sell them on the open market, participating directly in the development's success.
    
    

Step 4: Making It Happen – From Planning to Your Payday Once our agreement is in place, Hartley Residential takes full responsibility for:

• Securing Planning Permission: Navigating the complex planning system, working diligently with local councils, and ensuring all necessary consents are obtained.

• Expert Construction & Project Management: Our experienced team oversees the entire build process, ensuring the development is delivered to the highest standards of quality, on time, and within budget.

• Effective Sales & Marketing: We handle all aspects of marketing and selling the completed homes to achieve the best possible market value.

• Realising Your Return:

  • For Option Agreements: Your payment for the land is made once planning permission is successfully granted and the option to purchase is exercised, typically before construction begins.

  • For Joint Ventures and Payment in Kind Your return (be it profit share or completed units) is realised as the development progresses and units are sold on the open market.

Ready for a friendly, no-obligation chat about your site's potential? We'd love to hear from you and explore how Hartley Residential can help you unlock the value of your site.

Email us at development@hartleyresidential.co.uk to get started

Is Your Property Right for Development?

Every site's unique, but knowing what we look for can give you a clearer idea of your property's potential. We're specialists at spotting hidden value in all sorts of properties, turning them into thriving developments.

1. Ground-Up New Builds: Brownfield, Infill & Garden Plots
This section is all about sites where we'd build brand new homes from scratch.

Here's what typically makes a site exciting for a new build:

• Location & Demand: Is it handy for local shops, good transport links, schools, or jobs? Essentially, what makes this a desirable place for people to live?

• Size, Shape & Accessibility: Is there enough space to build a sensible number of homes? Does the plot have a practical shape, and is there safe, easy access for construction traffic and future residents?

• Planning Context: What do the local council's planning rules say about new builds in your area? Is your land already earmarked for housing? We'll look into any local quirks like conservation areas or flood risks, focusing on how we can make your project work within these.

• Services & Infrastructure: Are the essential utilities there – water, electricity, drainage, gas?

• Ground Conditions: We'll consider any slopes, important trees, or past uses (especially for brownfield sites) that might affect how we design and build.

• Site History: For brownfield sites, knowing what the land was used for before can help us understand any opportunities or challenges.

Our Expertise Here: We're pros at getting the most out out of a site, handling all the planning complexities for new builds, and transforming overlooked plots into desirable new homes.

2. Commercial-to-Residential Conversions (Permitted Development & Full Planning
This part's for those with existing commercial buildings, whether it's an old office, shop, or other commercial space.

Key things we assess for commercial conversions:

• Permitted Development (PD) Rights:

  • What is PD? It's a fantastic route that lets certain commercial buildings (like offices) change to residential use without needing a full planning application, though there are still specific conditions to meet.

  • The Benefits: PD can often mean a faster, less complicated process, giving you more certainty.

  • Things to Watch For: We'll check for any "Article 4 Directions" where the local council has removed PD rights. We also look at building size limits and whether there's enough natural light for comfy homes.

• Building Structure & Condition: How sound is the existing building? Can it be easily adapted for living spaces? We'll check the roof, walls, and foundations.

• Natural Light & Layout: Can we get good natural light into the new residential units? And can we create practical, appealing layouts within the existing structure?

• Access & Services: Are the current entry points and utility connections suitable for residential use?

• Location: Even for a commercial building, its appeal as a residential spot depends on local amenities, transport links, and how desirable the area is for living.

• Neighbouring Uses: How will the new homes fit in with any nearby commercial or industrial activities? We aim for harmonious integration.

Our Expertise Here: We're skilled at quickly assessing PD potential, navigating the technical ins and outs of commercial conversions, and unlocking significant value from buildings that might be underperforming in their current use. If PD isn't quite right, we're equally adept at securing full planning permission.