Land Promotion Agreements in Cardiff
With promotion, you keep your land in Cardiff while Land to Homes pays for the surveys, design and planning application. There is nothing to pay upfront: costs are recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. A minimum price agreed at the start means you are not obliged to sell below that figure.
Cardiff · CF5Free site appraisal
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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 we look at around Cardiff
Our South Glamorgan coverage is centred on Cardiff, postcode district CF5, and reaches 2 other places. Nearby, we also cover Penarth, Caerphilly and Barry, all within 7 miles.
Typical sites we review near Cardiff include infill gaps along existing streets, farmland next to the settlement boundary and brownfield land in and around Cardiff. Because Cardiff is in Wales, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Land Transaction Tax (LTT).
A postcode and a rough boundary are enough for us to start a free appraisal of land near Cardiff.
How we work in Cardiff
Minimum price agreed early
The agreement sets a floor below which you cannot be required to sell. Some agreements allow it to be reviewed by an independent surveyor if the market moves during the term.
Strategic planning work
Larger sites often need representations to the development plan, studies on transport, drainage and ecology, and engagement with the local community. We manage that work and report progress to you.
Clear fee and cost rules
The heads of terms state the fee, which costs can be recovered and whether any cap applies, so you can see what will come out of the proceeds before you sign.
Open-market sale
Once planning is secured, the land is marketed to housebuilders and other buyers, usually through an agent. The aim is genuine competition between bidders, rather than reliance on a single valuation figure.
The Welsh system, as it applies in Cardiff
Drainage has its own approval in Wales. Most new developments of more than one home, or with 100 square metres or more of construction area, need sustainable drainage approval from the council's SuDS Approving Body, separate from planning permission, before building starts. For land around Cardiff, that shapes layout and how many homes fit, so our free site appraisal looks at it alongside access, Local Development Plan policy and the biodiversity requirements of Planning Policy Wales.
In Wales, the route for larger sites is usually allocation in a replacement Local Development Plan, starting with the candidate site process. The promotion budget should cover sustainable drainage approval from the SuDS approving body, Welsh language or phosphate assessments where relevant, and Section 106 obligations. The buyer pays Land Transaction Tax on the eventual purchase.
| National planning policy | Planning Policy Wales (Edition 12) and Future Wales: the National Plan 2040, supported by Technical Advice Notes |
|---|---|
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the county or county borough council (or a national park authority) |
| 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. |
Questions about Land Promotion Agreements in Cardiff
Can I end a promotion agreement early?
Usually only in limited circumstances set out in the agreement, such as the promoter failing to meet its obligations or the term expiring. Because the promoter is investing in planning, early termination by the landowner is normally restricted. Check the termination clauses with your solicitor before you sign.
Will I have a say over who buys the land?
Usually, yes. Promotion agreements typically involve the landowner in agreeing the marketing approach and the choice of buyer, subject to the minimum price. Where several bids meet the minimum, the agreement sets out how the preferred bid is chosen and what happens if the parties disagree.
Is a promotion agreement better than an option?
Neither is better in every case. Promotion often suits larger sites where open-market competition is likely to drive the price and the landowner wants transparency. An option can suit smaller or more complex sites where one committed buyer matters more. Our guide to option and promotion agreements compares the two.
How does a land promotion agreement work?
The landowner and promoter sign an agreement for a set term. The promoter funds and runs the planning process. If permission is granted, the land is sold on the open market, provided offers meet an agreed minimum price. From the proceeds, the promoter recovers its costs and takes an agreed fee, and the landowner receives the balance.
Is Cardiff an area you cover for land?
Yes, we cover land in Cardiff and elsewhere in South Glamorgan, including Barry and Penarth. 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: Land Promotion Agreements · Guide: Section 106 and affordable housing: what landowners should know