Landowner Joint Ventures in Eastbourne
If you own land in Eastbourne and want more than a land price, a joint venture lets you stay involved in what gets built. The structure might be a contract, a joint venture company or a partnership. Each has different implications for control, risk, tax and funding, so independent legal and tax advice is essential before you commit.
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Selling land around Eastbourne
We cover Eastbourne as part of East Sussex. It is about 19 miles east of Brighton, around postcode district BN21. Close by, our coverage also takes in Hailsham, Seaford and Bexhill-on-Sea. Eastbourne is in the South East region of England.
Around Eastbourne we look at former garage blocks and yards, fields put forward or allocated in the local plan and paddocks on the edge of Eastbourne. In England, where Eastbourne 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 BN21 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.
Our approach in Eastbourne
Land value agreed first
Your land is valued at the outset so everyone knows what it contributes. That figure often sets an entitlement paid to you before any profit is shared, which is a key protection in most structures.
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.
Funding and lender security
Development lenders usually want a first charge over the land. If your land is charged, you need to understand what happens if the project runs into difficulty and what protection the agreement gives you.
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.
Planning and land rules in Eastbourne
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Eastbourne may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
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.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
Common questions in Eastbourne
Do I have to put money into a joint venture?
Not always. In many landowner joint ventures the land is the landowner's whole contribution, while the developer arranges the rest of the funding. Some structures ask both parties to contribute cash. The agreement should state clearly whether any further contribution could ever be required from you, and in what circumstances.
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.
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.
Can a joint venture include affordable or rental homes?
Yes. A scheme can combine homes for sale, homes for rent and affordable or social homes delivered with a council or housing association. The mix changes the cash flow and when money is paid out, so it should be agreed between the parties before the planning application is submitted.
Is Eastbourne an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Eastbourne and elsewhere in East Sussex, including Brighton, Hastings and Seaford. 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: Option agreement or promotion agreement: what is the difference?