Facilitating Development Seminar - Essex (Chelmsford)

This Spring, expert land and development solicitors from Holmes & Hills are delivering a specialist seminar providing critical guidance on best practice when approaching development transactions, focusing on early identification and resolution of key barriers to the successful acquisition of and development of land.

There are two opportunities to attend with the seminars being held in Suffolk and Essex. The events are primarily aimed at developers, and land and property professionals.

Topics being discussed in 2024

In their seminar on 'how to facilitate development', Holmes & Hills’ Land and Development Division will be covering the following subjects:

“Preliminary considerations: the importance of a strong start”
Identifying and resolving any areas of ambiguity and/or gaps in Heads of Terms which could lead to issues later in the transaction, including (amongst other things):

• Obligations on developers regarding the type of planning consent to be sought – (outline, reserved matters, detailed or hybrid?), timings and obligations towards landowners.
• Unclear timescales often involving automatic extensions and the final long stop date, which conflict with the parties’ intentions.
• Rights of developers regarding access for technical surveys and sampling.
• Intellectual property considerations such as copyright licences/letters of reliance relating to planning drawings and technical reports from the planning process.

“Due Diligence: identifying issues early”
Identifying any barriers to the successful development of land, including:

• Site visits and why these are of critical importance from the outset.
• Assistive AI and how to utilise these tools to get ahead, including early title reviews and issue flagging (especially restrictive covenants and burdening rights).
• Development searches - a practical overview
• Working in partnership with a professional team and why a collaborative approach between consultants is key.

“Common issues that can slow or prohibit progress: proactive and pragmatic solutions”
Exploring recurring themes that Holmes & Hills Land and Development Division see in day to day practice, including:

• Planning drawings - whose land it is anyway?
• Defective access and service rights - a review of what is often one of the core issues that can prohibit development, with case study examples.
• Existing indemnity insurance policies - why these should be approached with caution and aren’t always a silver bullet.
• Development funding - a practical look at what's happening on the ground and top tips to help ease the pain.

“The final hurdle: site setup and plot sales”
Exploring how the Land and Development Division collaborates with Holmes & Hills' plot sales specialists to ensure a smooth transition to the plot sales process.

Who are the Land and Development Division?

Holmes & Hills Solicitors has a Division of specialist land and development experts who service the firm's client base of developers and landowners across East Anglia. Moreover, Holmes & Hills is one of the only firms in the region to have a dedicated group of solicitors focusing on land and development legal work. The Division advises and represents clients in relation to all manner of development land transactions.

In addition to providing information on facilitating development, these events boast an opportunity for delegates to put questions to the floor or to one of the speakers on a one-to-one basis, as well as the opportunity to network with other industry professionals before and after the talk with refreshments provided by Holmes & Hills.

Click on the links below for details of other dates and venues

16^th May - 6pm – Venue 16, Ipswich – BOOK HERE

If you have any issues with booking, please contact Ruben Patrick by calling 01206 593933 or emailing r.patrick@holmes-hills.co.uk.