Landowner Joint Ventures in Gwynedd
If you own land in Gwynedd 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.
GwyneddFree site appraisal
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
Land we look at around Gwynedd
We cover 4 places across Gwynedd: Bangor (Gwynedd) is the main one, alongside Caernarfon, Pwllheli and Holyhead. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Clwyd, Powys and Dyfed.
Sites worth a conversation around Gwynedd: large and long rear gardens, corner plots and side gardens and brownfield land in and around Bangor (Gwynedd). In Wales, where Gwynedd sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the county or county borough council (or a national park authority).
Tell us where your land is around Gwynedd and we will explain the routes open to you.
What we offer in Gwynedd
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Welsh system, as it applies in Gwynedd
In Wales, planning applications for new homes in Gwynedd are decided by the local planning authority, usually the county or county borough council, using its Local Development Plan, Planning Policy Wales and Future Wales: the National Plan 2040. Landowners can sell outright or through an option or promotion agreement in which the planning work is funded for them and recovered only from a sale with planning. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal and covers your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements.
In Wales, a joint venture scheme must work within the Local Development Plan and Planning Policy Wales, and most schemes need SuDS approving body approval before construction. Affordable homes delivered with housing associations may need to meet Welsh Government design standards. Moving land into a company can attract Land Transaction Tax, collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority.
| National planning policy | Planning Policy Wales (Edition 12) and Future Wales: the National Plan 2040, supported by Technical Advice Notes |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the county or county borough council (or a national park authority) |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Land Transaction Tax (LTT) |
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | As in England, a land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title registered at HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council has adopted it |
Your questions answered for Gwynedd
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.
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.
How is the land valued in a joint venture?
Usually by agreement or independent valuation at the start, based on its value with or without planning. That figure may give you a first call on proceeds before any profit is shared. The method matters a great deal, so agree it in writing and consider taking advice from your own surveyor.
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 Gwynedd an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land across Gwynedd, including Bangor (Gwynedd), Pwllheli and Caernarfon. 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?