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For landowners · Cambridgeshire

Landowner Joint Ventures in March

Can I enter a joint venture on land in March?

A landowner joint venture in March is a deal where you contribute the land and Land to Homes brings planning, design, construction and project management. Instead of a one-off price, you share in the outcome once the homes are sold or let, under terms agreed in writing before work begins. It carries more risk than a straight sale.

Landowner and site manager shaking hands at the entrance to a housing site under constructionMarch · PE15

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Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.

Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.

  • Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
  • Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
  • Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
  • Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
  • UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI

Our coverage in March

About 14 miles east of Peterborough, March is part of our Cambridgeshire coverage, centred on postcode district PE15. Wisbech is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 8 miles, followed by Ely and Peterborough. March is part of England’s East of England region.

Around March we look at large and long rear gardens, former garage blocks and yards and small holdings and pony paddocks. In England, where March sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).

Send us a postcode in or near PE15 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

What we offer in March

Decisions and deadlock

The agreement should say who decides on design, pricing, contractors and programme, which matters need both parties' consent, and how any disagreement is resolved without stalling the project.

Clear exit routes

The agreement should cover what happens on completion, if one party wants to leave, or if planning is refused. Clear exit terms protect both sides from being locked into a project that no longer works.

Choice of structure

A joint venture can be purely contractual, a joint venture company or a limited liability partnership. Each handles control, liability, tax and exit differently, and your own advisers should help you choose.

Sale or rent agreed together

Homes can be built for sale, for rent, or as affordable housing with a council or housing association. The mix affects risk and when money comes back, so it is agreed before work starts.

Planning in March: the English rules

In England, most planning applications for new homes in March are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.

In England, a joint venture scheme still has to meet the Local Plan, the NPPF and, where it applies, biodiversity net gain. Affordable housing is usually secured through a Section 106 agreement, which affects cash flow. If land is transferred into a joint venture company, Stamp Duty Land Tax can arise, and the transfer is registered at HM Land Registry.

Key rules in March
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Who decides applicationsThe local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority)
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)

Your questions answered for March

Will a lender take a charge over my land in a joint venture?

Often, yes. Development lenders normally require security, and the land is the main asset. If your land is charged and the project fails, the lender may be able to sell it. Some structures delay transferring or charging the land, so take legal advice on how your interest is protected.

What happens if the joint venture does not get planning?

The agreement should say. Common approaches include ending the venture with each party bearing its own costs, or allowing a revised application within a set period. Make sure you know whether any planning costs could ever be charged to you, and in what circumstances, before you sign.

Is a joint venture riskier than selling my land?

Usually, yes. A sale gives you a known figure. In a joint venture, what you receive depends on build costs, sales values, funding and timing, all of which can change. If the market falls or costs rise, your share could be less than a straight sale would have achieved, which is why advice before committing matters.

What is a landowner joint venture?

It is an arrangement where a landowner and a developer pool what they have to deliver a development. The landowner usually contributes the land, and the developer contributes expertise, management and access to funding. Instead of a fixed price at the start, the landowner shares in the outcome once homes are sold or let, under agreed terms.

Is March an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in March and elsewhere in Cambridgeshire, including Ely, Wisbech and Peterborough. Where a site suits us we can buy it directly, or set up an option or promotion agreement. On promotion there is nothing to pay upfront.

Read more: Landowner Joint Ventures · Guide: Landowner joint ventures explained: sharing in the development

Landowner Joint Ventures elsewhere in Cambridgeshire

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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