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For landowners · Greater London

Landowner Joint Ventures in Romford

Can I enter a joint venture on land in Romford?

If you own land in Romford 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.

Aerial view of long rear gardens behind 1930s semi-detached houses backing onto a paddockRomford · RM1

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  • 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

Selling land around Romford

In Greater London, Romford lies about 14 miles east of London; its central postcode district is RM1. If your land sits between towns, Hornchurch, Dagenham and Becontree are the closest neighbouring places on our list. Within England, Romford falls in the London region.

Around Romford we look at farmland next to the settlement boundary, former garage blocks and yards and backland plots with a workable access. Because Romford is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

Send us a postcode in or near RM1 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

How we work in Romford

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.

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.

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.

How the rules work in Romford

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Romford 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 Romford
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 registrationHM Land Registry
How a sale becomes bindingA land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry.

Questions about Landowner Joint Ventures in Romford

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.

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.

How is a property joint venture taxed?

It depends on the structure and your circumstances. Taking part in development can change how your proceeds are taxed, for example as income rather than a capital gain, and moving land into a company can trigger stamp duty or its equivalent in your nation. Speak to an accountant before agreeing any structure.

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.

Do you buy land in Romford?

Yes. Land to Homes looks at land in Romford and elsewhere in Greater London, including Barnes, Sutton and Surbiton. Every enquiry starts with a free site appraisal, and on option and promotion agreements we pay your reasonable legal fees.

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

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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