We have completed a land sale which has been more than three decades in the making for a site off Chilvester Hill in Calne, Wiltshire to developer Bewley Homes which is set to build 28 homes on the site.
The consultancy has advised the landowner Shane O’Neill for more than 35 years, with Robin Eyles a Partner based at Market Harborough being directly involved for 26 years. Over that time, we have helped Shane improve the site’s suitability for development, achieve planning permission, and finally secure the sale of the land. During the last 30 years, we have provided advice on maximising the likelihood of securing planning permission for the site as well as recommending Shane undertake strategic landscape planting to improve its suitability for new homes which has resulted in the land value increasing significantly.
After several years of self-promotion, Rainier Developments & Strategic Land (RDSL) was appointed as land promoter on the advice of Luke Brafield, a partner based at our Ashby office, and in 2020 RDSL applied for planning permission for 32 homes to be built.
This was initially refused by the local authority, but RDSL’s subsequent appeal meant permission was granted for 28 homes the following year. With planning permission secured, our development agency team worked with RDSL to market and sell the land. Bewley Homes agreed to purchase the site, and the deal was completed in mid-May.
Shane said: “Fisher German’s service over such a long period of time has been invaluable in terms of the advice and achieving the best possible outcome. Its teams in various departments have pointed me in the right direction every step of the way, from advising me on landscape planting years in advance, right through to bringing RDSL on board to help secure planning permission and market the land. It’s a wonderful feeling to see 35 years of preparation finally come off – it has been a real team effort.”
Matthew Handford, our Senior Development Surveyor based at our Ashby office led the sale to Bewley Homes, added: “Although we have only just completed the sale, it really has been a joint effort over many years and demonstrates just how important it is to have a property consultancy with expertise across rural matters, planning, development, and sales, to get a deal like this over the line. Our advice from various departments over the years and our close work with RDSL meant we were able to secure that all-important planning permission and maximise the site’s value, attracting several bids from interested housebuilders.”
Josh Sinnett, Managing Director of Rainier Developments & Strategic Land, said: “It has been a good partnership between all the parties involved and it is great to deliver such a positive result for all concerned. Our relationship with Fisher German does not stretch back three decades, but hopefully this will be the first of many projects of this type we collaborate on.”
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