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For landowners · Hampshire

Landowner Joint Ventures in Portsmouth

Can I enter a joint venture on land in Portsmouth?

A landowner joint venture in Portsmouth 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.

Grass field bordered by a hedgerow, with the backs of a housing estate along one sidePortsmouth · PO5

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

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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

Land and sites near Portsmouth

About 15 miles south-east of Southampton, Portsmouth is part of our Hampshire coverage, centred on postcode district PO5. Nearby, we also cover Gosport, Fareham and Ryde, all within 6 miles. Portsmouth is part of England’s South East region.

Around Portsmouth we look at paddocks on the edge of Portsmouth, small holdings and pony paddocks and former garage blocks and yards. Because Portsmouth 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 PO5 and we will start with a free desktop appraisal.

How we work in Portsmouth

Advice before commitment

Joint ventures carry real commercial risk. We always recommend independent legal, tax and valuation advice, and we will say plainly if a straight sale or an option looks like a better fit for you.

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.

Construction within the group

As part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, Land to Homes plans schemes around homes it can build, keeping design, cost control and delivery closely connected.

The English system, as it applies in Portsmouth

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer)Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Land registrationHM Land Registry
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Portsmouth

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.

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.

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.

Is Portsmouth an area you cover for land?

Yes, we cover land in Portsmouth and elsewhere in Hampshire, including Aldershot, Waterlooville and Yateley. 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?

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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