Inside Property Development

Will the New Design PPG Make Your Deals Easier – or Impossible? With David Birbeck

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul once again sits down with David Birbeck, one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to planning and development. Together, they discuss the government´s new draft Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) and how it should work in practice.

David is the CEO of Design for Homes, a Housing Design Awards director, an Honorary Fellow of RIBA, HCA design board member, NHBC councillor and Housing Forum board member. Both he and Paul have decades of experience, so this episode also provides practical advice about how developers can adapt and build high quality schemes that will sell fast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Liveability, climate, nature, and movement now trump façades and style. Policy is finally shifting from how closely new development mimic what is already in the area to how schemes work for everyday life.

The new PPG replaces a tangle of guides with one much clearer, more visual document.

It is vital that developers familiarise themselves fully with the PPG. If you don´t, you’ll be at a disadvantage when planners and inspectors start quoting it.

Climate, nature, streets, and drainage are meant to be designed together - multi‑functional green and blue infrastructure is now an integral part of policy logic, rather than a nice‑to‑have add‑on.

National space standards still exist, but the draft PPG treats them as a tool for design codes, not a blanket rule. That really matters in places where adding a couple of square metres just for the sake of it at £4,000/m² can completely kill the viability, that applies to 100s of marginal sites.

BEST MOMENTS

“It's probably more pro-development than it has been for a long time at the moment.”

“They have replaced all the stuff about context and history and character and focused instead, first and foremost on livability, and then climate and nature and movement.”

“You can have as good a plan in as you like …. people still aren't going to build stuff if they can't sell it.”

“Historically, there has been design guidance or talk about design that has no real understanding or bearing on the realities or viability of development.”

GUEST AND EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-birkbeck-399b771a

https://hdawards.org/

https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/design-and-placemaking-planning-practice-

guidance/design-and-placemaking-planning-practice-guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

- Breaking into Property Development: Early Career Strategies for Graduates

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul sits down with Lucas, a recent Bristol civil engineering graduate, who is considering becoming a property developer. Together, they discuss why everything in development starts with finding and controlling land, how planning policy has evolved to make that both harder and more crucial, and why today’s planning environment might actually be one of the best times to get into development despite a tough sales market.

Paul lays out the residual land value logic that underpins every deal and sets out which early-career roles provide the best learning opportunity for would-be property developers. Including, whether to work for large housebuilders or smaller developers, how to approach land directors directly, and the mindset and skills that matter, over time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Graduate schemes at major housebuilders are still a powerful shortcut into property development. You learn the entire process.

If you want to be more focused, target learning how to find land you can put together a profitable deal for.

Being able to communicate effectively, negotiate and understand people is critical for developers. This is especially important when dealing with landowners and decision‑makers.

Proactive outreach beats simply sitting there and waiting for a vacancy and then applying. Directly contacting land directors and developers with a message that is tailored to them can help you to get in even if there are no advertised vacancies.

Today we are facing huge demand for housing, a more pro‑development planning policy and fewer SME competitors. A combination that creates strong opportunities for those who have taken the time to really understand land and planning.

In a tougher sales market, the margin for error is tiny. Accurate appraisals and disciplined land offers matter more than ever.

BEST MOMENTS

“Everything has flipped so knowing how to build stuff is just nowhere near enough. You actually need to understand land and planning.”

"In all business, and in life, actually, attitude is the most important thing."

"It really is all about land and planning. It´s the key."

"Most of the best SME developers used to work for house builders."

EPISODE RESOURCES

Paresh Chandegra interview with Paul - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1RpVHBqxJQ

The Housebuilder´s Bible - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Housebuilders-Bible-15-Mark-Brinkley/dp/1916016839

The Art of the Deal . https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trump-Art-Deal-Donald-ebook/dp/B01N3U67V8

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Are Small, High Quality Schemes the Smartest Play for Developers Now? – with Steve Morris

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode Paul is joined by Steve Morris the co-founder and Managing Director of Linfield Construction, to discuss the viability of building a property development business later in life – especially if you come from a contracting and commercial background rather than following the more typical pure developer route.

The conversation covers listed buildings, conversions, contracting margins and planning risk and why so many opportunities don’t stack up once you price the build and contingency properly- As well as how main contractors actually make (or lose) their money, why pre‑applications and consultants don´t mitigate planning risk for you, and why smaller, high‑quality schemes can be a better approach.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Not every opportunity is worth chasing – saying no to most deals is essential; if something only works on heroic assumptions about planning, build, or sales, walking away is a win, not a loss.
Your past experience is an edge. But years in contracting, buying, or surveying won´t protect you if you are not disciplined enough to fully assess risk, choose the right partners and structure deals well.
Look at planning as a business risk, not just a technical process. Pre‑apps, officers, and consultants do not all work in the same way, they are inconsistent.
You need your own planning strategy. Set clear limits on how much time and money you can spend on chasing planning and a willingness to abandon sites that drag you into a hole.
Remember one big job, or one big client, can wipe you out if it goes wrong. A portfolio of smaller schemes and diverse workstreams can be a way to spread the risk. But this approach is still not risk free.
Later in life, you can design a business that actually suits you- Pursuing smaller, high‑quality projects that you are proud of and don´t require you to spend countless nights away from work is relentlessly scaling, just for the sake of it.
Planning policy has never been more pro‑development and competition from SME developers has never been lower, so if you’re disciplined about risk and viability, now is a surprisingly good time to pursue schemes.

BEST MOMENTS

“I would much rather be doing new build than conversions.”

“If you can’t ascertain the risk, then of course you need to stick, you know, a much bigger margin and a much bigger contingency on it.”

“Often, pre apps are not worth the paper they’re written on. They’ve basically got no legal or policy weight… people basically give way too much credence to pre apps.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://linfieldconstruction.co.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder,

Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

From Politics to Property Development

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul sits down with former Wandsworth councillor and Pocket Living land director and the Managing Director and founder of Urban Sketch Nick Cuff. Drawing on his rare mix of political and development experience, Nick explains what a genuinely pro‑development culture looks like, and why most UK councils are not pro-development.

They discuss the realities of making small urban sites work, the unintended damage caused by rigid space standards, and why current affordable housing expectations and late‑stage reviews are driving capital out of UK development.

If you’re a developer, architect or planning professional trying to get dense urban schemes to stack up in today’s market, this frank, practical conversation will give you plenty to think about.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Pro‑development councils are built, not found - leadership, culture and officer relationships matter as much as policy wording if you want schemes to move.
Small urban sites can deliver serious value, even 100% “affordable” products, when density, smart design and tenure innovation are combined well.
Rigid space standards and one‑size‑fits‑all unit mixes are killing viability and ignoring how real households live, especially sharers and young professionals.
Co‑living and compact rental models remain one of the few viable ways to do dense urban housing, but only in highly amenitiesed, well‑connected locations.
Paul and Nick discuss how and why the Pocket Development model worked.
Nick explains how Urban Sketch is leveraging the shared living trend to create more homes.
Developers and architects must get better at explaining viability and risk in simple terms. Without a clear story and end game, policy will keep loading costs ontoprojects and hardly anything will get built.

BEST MOMENTS

“If you've got good people, both members and officers, working together, planning's such a huge catalyst for economic growth, for renewal, for improvement to the micro and the macro, street and town environment.”

“We've loaded the current planning system with so many Snakes and Ladders that we've lost our ability to navigate it.”

“You can't get private money, someone else's money, to commit suicide on behalf of the state's lauded objectives (e.g. affordable housing).”

“We are witnessing the great decapitalization of the London and Southeast market. What capital is in the market is seeking, through impairment or exit, to get out, and very limited capital, fresh capital is willing to come back in.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-cuff-4757b220

http://propviews.co.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Architect/Developer Relationships with Cameron Straughan

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0000

How can architects and developers work together to deliver projects that are financially viable, genuinely regenerative – create schemes like this that actually get built as planned?

In this episode, Paul is interviewed by Cameron Straughan, a master’s student in architecture at the University of Bath, who is currently researching the realities of architect–developer relationships. Together they explore how these dynamics influence the design and delivery of housing in the UK.

They cover the gaps in architects training, how land values and viability, not greedy margins, really drive what gets off the drawing board and the role planning policy, sustainability standards and build costs are currently playing in the market.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Many architects qualify without spending time on a building site. That lack of hands‑on experience can lead to designs that don´t go through planning, are not financially viable or are too difficult to build.
Developers need to do the land and planning analysis, so they can give a clear, detailed brief to their architect rather than saying “do me a scheme” and hoping the architect solves everything.
Architects are taught a lot about sustainability and regenerative design, but very little about land economics, viability, and planning strategy – which is why many of their ideas never make it off the drawing board.
The misconception that developers are greedy and making huge profits is leading to the creation of ridiculous rules that add prohibitive costs, making many schemes undeliverable.

BEST MOMENTS

“It's the developer’s job to understand it all and manage it all, not the architects ... don´t assume that they would always know the best thing to do.”

“Build costs and different ways and techniques of building things all feeds into the equation when I give an architect an instruction.”

“Architects don’t get taught about the development process.”

“We can save a whole load of time not arguing and pushing for things that just don't work, if we could all get on the same page a bit more.”

CAMERON STRAUGHAN LINK

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-straughan-43545827b/?originalSubdomain=uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years; experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

From NIMBYs to Co‑Creators: How Communities Are Leading Development Through CLTs?

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

This week, Tom Chance the Chief Executive of the National Community Land Trust Network joins Paul to discuss something most SME developers either haven’t heard of – or are massively underestimating - Community Land Trusts.

If you’re battling viability, stuck on marginal sites, or sick of being painted as “the bad guy” in planning committees, this episode is for you.

You’ll hear how CLTs can unlock land that doesn’t work at full residential land values, bring locals in as genuine partners, smooth planning, and even help with tricky Section 106 and funding challenges.

Use Paul´s Scorecard to test your current development assessment process and work out exactly how to improve it. Click here - http://bit.ly/MLASCORE or https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a nonprofit organization that owns land and leases it long-term to individuals or groups who own the homes, gardens, etc. on the land and ensure they remain affordable when re-sold.
There are already CLTs delivering schemes - everything from small village projects to a 600‑home former council estate in central London.
CLTs turn locals from objectors into co‑developers – they own the land and help decide what gets built.
Rural exception policies let CLTs unlock certain types of fields to be used for affordable homes. Landowners earn a reasonable amount and land that would not otherwise be financially viable for housing can be built on.
CLTs often do better at planning.
The real bottleneck is pre‑development cost and risk – getting to “site secured + consented” can cost £10–15k per home.
When communities see the viability spreadsheet, they quickly drop the fantasy of “gold‑plated everything” – CLTs force the community to make the same hard trade‑offs on spec, standards and rent that private developers have to.

BEST MOMENTS

"At the heart of it is local people owning and running a democratic local sort of social enterprise that is part of the process and gives them some stake in how development takes place."

"They vary from literally one or two homes in the edge of a village, to a CLT that owns a 600 home former council estate in central London.”

"Landowners say, well, you've got a better chance of getting permission for this because it's being done by a CLP for affordable housing."

“I describe it as policy acupuncture.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Is The UK´s Housing Crisis Mostly Fuelled by Planning Issues or By Its Property Tax System? – with Tony Vickers

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Who really creates land value, who cashes in, and could changing how we tax land finally shift development from easy Greenfield wins to regenerating the brownfield sites where we actually need homes? – Tune in to find out.

Paul once again sits down with Tony Vickers to unpack why the UK housing crisis is so deep and to discuss ways to fix it. They reveal why so many developers are pushed towards easier Greenfield deals while complex brownfield sites stall despite people wanting to live there more. Paul and Tony look at how smarter land and property taxation, like that used in Hong Kong, could rebalance incentives, so that more of the right homes get delivered in the right places.

Use Paul´s Scorecard to test your current development assessment process and work out exactly how to improve it. Click here - http://bit.ly/MLASCORE or https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Land value rises because of what’s built around it e.g. new transport links, – not what the landowner does. They sell that land at a huge premium, which means what is built on that land is expensive - the landowner gets the bonus - the people who move there effectively pay for it.
If we push taxes on landowners too far selling is no longer viable, so sites don’t come forward and homes don’t get built. A middle ground has to be found.
Most brownfield sites are too expensive and way too risky to develop. The numbers just do not stack up, so developers favour greenfield sites. Tax reform and funding can potentially be used to de-risk brownfield development and make it viable again.
The number of hoops developers need to jump through to meet planning and environmental regs has reached the point where many developments are no longer financially viable.
Well‑run planning committees with transparent processes, site visits and basic viability knowledge can unlock good schemes, while poorly run ones can kill perfectly workable projects.
Better shared understanding between developers, councillors and communities about risk, viability and constraints could improve housing delivery as much as new policies or regulations.

BEST MOMENTS

“I don't think there's a lot wrong with the planning system, as Sir Jim O'Neill was indicating, it's the property tax system.”

“There's human behaviour, there's environmental costs all factored in, and what I fear is that the government has given itself this impossible target.”

“You've got to strengthen the hand of the local authorities a by allowing them to charge the full cost for developers.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Land Trading & Flipping Sites Explained

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode of Inside Property Development, Paul expands on the ins and outs of land trading. Including how to source off-market opportunities, add planning value, and decide when to sell or build. To help him do this, Paul shares the details of a recent experience he had of selling a small, fully de-risked site on LinkedIn.

This episode highlights the changing property landscape, the vital role of land traders, and provides advice for SME developers who are navigating today’s complex planning and building environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Prioritise finding off-market land opportunities and securing optimal planning permission yourself to maximise profits and reduce risk. It is not wise to rely solely on buying sites with planning already in place.
Mastering the skills of land trading and planning adds value not just to your own projects but also helps to fill a critical gap. As planning systems become more complex and intimidating for newcomers the UK needs more people to learn how to land trade.
Be adaptable in your sales approach; for smaller or unique projects, public promotion (like on LinkedIn) can connect you with the right buyers. Solely, relying on private networks is not always the right approach.
Investing in education, mentorship, and knowledge sharing within the industry not only supports your own growth but helps sustain and grow the wider SME property development community.

BEST MOMENTS

“There's no point people complaining about land traders - if the system was simple and easy as it should be, there wouldn't be any demand or need or market for land traders.”

“If you are a house builder or a developer … you have absolutely got to be de-risking things to start with.”

“I can get the planning, so I'm literally creating opportunities for people to build out that wouldn't otherwise exist.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years; experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder,

Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Land Trading, Option Agreements and Promotions – What They Are and How to Use Them

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0000

For this week's episode of Inside Property Development, Paul covers a subject a lot of his trainees at the Milbank Land Academy are asking about - land trading, option agreements and profit agreements. He explains how they are different and shares some use cases for each of them.

If you have a question about property development or today´s episode, we would love to hear from you! Please drop your questions in the comments section on YouTube or reach out to Paul directly at https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk/contact-us.

Your input will help shape future episodes and ensure that Paul is covering the topics that matter most to you, so it would be very much appreciated.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The majority of profit in property development comes from finding off-market sites, securing them at a sensible price, and maximising their value through strategic planning and design enhancements.
Securing land via options, especially £1 options is a very good way of getting land at the right price. Landowners are happy to do this. You do the work to establish whether the land can be built on, and they know how much you will pay to take final ownership.
Land trading enables you to acquire off-market sites on favourable terms, maximising it´s value through planning, and then either sell the contract or rights, rather than building to make your profit.
Honing your fact finding and relationship building skills is essential, regardless of what approach you use.
Landowners, like all people, want certainty so offering them a fixed price helps to get deals over the line.
Promotional deals are best suited for long-term land opportunities with uncertain future value. They let landowners and developers share in the uplift once planning permission is secured, rather than setting a fixed price up front.

BEST MOMENTS

“Finding off-market sites, securing them on sensible terms, typically one pound option agreements and then adding maximum planning value… creates massive value.”

“They (landowners) are way, way, way less inclined to agree to a promotion type deal or a discount to market value deal when it's relatively short term.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Milbank Academy Scorecard - https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years & experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder,

Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Changing the Rules to Secure More and Better Housing

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul sits down with Tony Vickers, Chairman of West Park’s Council, who has had a long career in land use, planning and property development. Together, they discuss how land value is created, the case for land value taxation, and what it will take to solve the UK’s housing crisis.

Paul and Tony explore why collaboration between developers, policymakers, and communities matters, drawing on international examples and hard-won experience to reveal what really drives land values—and who should benefit.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Traditional adversarial relationships in property development are holding us back. Collaborative approaches between policymakers and developers are essential for addressing housing shortages.
The value of land is significantly influenced by the surrounding community and public investment, e.g. infrastructure, amenities, and shared demand, not so much by the owner. A land value tax would share the fruits of the value increase more fairly.
Taxing land value, instead of just housing transactions, encourages development, can fund local services, and make housing fairer. Tony shares the details of the exact mechanisms that make this happen.
The complexity of the UK system has led to sector consolidation at all levels, including with contractors. SME´s struggle too much to compete, simplification is part of the solution.
Continued dialogue to ensure all stakeholders and lawmakers have a clear understanding of the challenges and joint advocacy for policy reforms are vital to solving the housing crisis.

BEST MOMENTS

"A landowner does not create the value of the land. It’s everybody else around it."

"We should be thinking of land as something that we all own the value, because we’re all helping to create it."

"Developers are behaving perfectly rationally, doing as they do. The government has got to step in and change the tax system."

"If you tax an event or a transaction, you are deterring that event or transaction, which is why stamp duty is such a daft tax."

"We’ve got to be much more collaborative and try and work together, despite it being competitive."

"There is a real housing crisis. There is a real environmental crisis, and yet they’ve got to turn a profit on building those houses and protecting the environment."

House of Commons Report https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/49932/documents/268911/default/ British Housebuilders History Analysis by Fred Wellings https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/british-housebuilders-history-analysis/author/wellings-fred/

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years of experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

The Stark Realities of Building Homes In The UK With Philip Barnes

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul sits down with Philip Barnes, former UK group land and planning director at Barrett who now works part time for Savills. Together they explore the challenges and opportunities facing today’s property developers. Including discussing the stark differences between SMEs and major housebuilders, the impacts of planning reforms, environmental regulations, and financial hurdles.

They share what is really shaping the future of the UK housebuilding industry. Whether you’re an industry insider or curious about how policy and economics influence the building of new homes, this candid and sometimes alarming episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The economies of scale gulf between large scale and SME housebuilders is growing, making it even harder for SMEs to survive.
Developers are not enjoying large margins. That is a misconception. When margins are tight it doesn´t take much for a company to go bankrupt.
The barriers to entry are growing bigger making it really difficult for new
housebuilding firms to get established and make a profit.
Build costs are increasing faster than house prices.
Increasingly banks are pulling the plug on small developers. Some are actively lending on questionable projects knowing that the likelihood of it failing is high.
The UK housebuilding industry does not operate in a collaborative or cartel-like environment. It is highly cutthroat and driven by intense growth pressures, so expecting and basing scheme delivery on close collaboration is unrealistic.
If you're working on a set margin, and something like nitrate neutrality is an issue, that can delay you for a couple of years, long enough to make many firms go bankrupt.

BEST MOMENTS

"If you're a little guy, you can't afford to be spending fortunes on potential deals that don't go anywhere."

"Lots of abortive costs is a real operational issue in the planning system."

“Developers big and small are not building.”

"You can only get kicked in the nuts for so long before you start not liking it anymore."

"The Nature Restoration Levy and Environmental Development Plans, if done well, will massively help... My worry is that might not happen for two or three years."

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-barnes-70a44119

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder,

Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Collaborating to Solve the Housing Crisis

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Can collaboration really solve the housing crisis? seasoned property developer and industry expert Paul Higgs explores the challenges facing SME developers, housebuilders, and planners — and why the confrontational nature of the industry must change if we’re to create better homes and more sustainable communities.

With over 40 years’ experience in land, planning, and development, Paul shares candid insights into the complex planning system, the decline of SME developers, and the urgent need for joined-up thinking across all sectors of the housing industry.

If you’re interested in understanding what’s really holding back development — and how collaboration can unlock new opportunities — this episode is a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The housing and affordability crisis can’t be solved in isolation — collaboration is essential.
The property development industry has been too confrontational; cooperation between stakeholders is crucial.
SME developers and smaller housebuilders are declining, partly due to planning complexity.
The Millbank Land Academy Scorecard helps developers assess and improve their processes.
Sustainable housing requires developers, planners, and policymakers to work together rather than in opposition.

BEST MOMENTS

“We all need to understand property development from every angle — not just our own.”

“The industry has become confrontational, and that’s stopping us from creating the homes people need.”

“If SME developers can’t survive the planning system, we’ll lose a huge part of the housing supply chain.”

“The only way we’ll solve the housing crisis is by working together.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know! Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Small Sites, Big Ideas: The Truth About Developers & Good Design with Adam Dainow

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:43:00 -0000

In this episode Paul speaks with Adam Dainow, Co-Founder of Caswell&Dainow, to unpack the realities of small-site development, the challenges of working with local authorities, and why good design is central to great places.

Adam & Paul discuss the public misconceptions about development, the truth behind “garden grabbing”, and how collaboration between architects, developers and planners can transform even the smallest site into something exceptional

KEY TAKEWAYS

Developers aren’t the bad guys. They’re the ones taking on risk to deliver housing while navigating complex planning systems and public criticism.

“Garden grabbing” is a lazy term. Building in large, underused gardens can be an intelligent and sustainable way to add housing where people actually want to live.
Honesty matters with landowners. Being transparent builds long-term trust, even when expectations around land values are unrealistic.

Finding land is about process and persistence. From direct letters to research and relationship-building, there’s no secret shortcut — only consistency.

Social media works. Instagram, with its visual storytelling, has become Caswell&Dainow most powerful communication and brand-building platform.

BEST MOMENTS

“Developers are not the baddies. We’re the ones putting our houses — and often our homes — on the line to build for others.”

“Most architects want to be developers, and most developers want to be architects. The best projects happen where the two meet.”

“You can’t build on any old garden. If it’s the right size, in the right area, it can be the perfect place for a new home.”

“Being honest with landowners is key. You can’t fake authenticity — people sense it immediately.”

“Good design is not a luxury; it’s the foundation of successful, sustainable development.”

ADAM DAINOW INFORMATION

https://www.caswellanddainow.com/

https://www.instagram.com/caswellanddainow

Milbank Land Academy Scorecard – bit.ly/LAND-SCORE

Bricks & Mortar (The Times) feature: Garden Grab – The Planning Overhaul That Offers Homeowners a Chance to Cash In

Panorama Documentary – The Truth About Property Development (BBC)

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

40 Years, Zero Refusals: The 100% Planning Approval Blueprint

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul reveals the disciplined approach that has enabled him to maintain a flawless 40-year record of securing planning approvals. Drawing on decades of experience, Paul explains the strategies developers can use to strengthen their own applications, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate complex planning regulations with confidence.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

If at first you do not succeed, appeal. Paul has done this many times and has never lost an appeal.
Take your time when putting together your plans. You need to do as much as you can to avoid getting a refusal on a site. Sometimes this can blight a site.
Educate yourself about planning. Paul did this partly by going to planning meetings and observing what went on out in the real world. Book learning only gets you so far.
Paul recommends qualifying as a Chartered Planning and Development surveyor like he did. He explains why.
Never assume you know everything. That is why Paul still works with planning consultants. But at the same time, he also double-checks everything himself.
Look at every little thing and think about how it applies to your site. That means keeping up with regulations, monitoring which planning applications are approved and which are denied and understanding why.
Be all over all of the details. Do the planner's job for them to make it easier for them to approve you than it is for them to refuse you.

BEST MOMENTS

“Having a planning strategy before you even start is a big part of how I've got a 100% planning permission track record.”

“You don't really want refusals on your sites …. sites with refusals can sometimes get a bit blighted.”

“A lot of those applications I've had to win at appeal.”

“Be super detailed. Reverse engineer everything.”

“Understand all of the things that might come up before they come up and address them at the application and design stage.”

“You do need to learn and understand quite a lot of this stuff well, as much of it as possible yourself, in order to spot the angles, the opportunities and the pitfalls at an early stage.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠

Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠

Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠

YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Inside the Vision: Paul Higgs Redefining Property as the Hippie Developer

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul looks back on his remarkable journey through the world of property development. From his humble beginnings as a labourer on construction sites to becoming a successful developer, Paul shares his valuable experience.

Paul opens up about the challenges currently facing the property industry, the growing importance of sustainable development, and why he proudly describes himself as a “hippie property developer.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paul's early struggles: ADD and adoption shaped his drive and work ethic, ultimately contributing to his success in property development.

The Importance of Understanding: Land & planning is crucial for successful property development, more so than just construction knowledge.

Option Agreements: Can be a powerful tool for developers to control land without significant upfront capital, allowing for bigger deals.

The 2008 Financial Crisis: Nearly wiped out Paul's business, highlighting the importance of careful financial management and choosing the right lending partners.

Property Development: Has become increasingly difficult over the years, with the number of SME house builders drastically declining since 1988.

Sustainable Development: Working with nature is important, but financial viability must also be considered to incentivise developers.

The Role of A Property Developer: Is like a conductor of an orchestra, overseeing various aspects and experts to create successful projects.

Building Relationships: Working with the right people is crucial in property development, as it's challenging to do everything alone.

BEST MOMENTS

"I eventually came to realise you need to know a lot more than just about construction in order to be a property developer. In fact, I came to realise that what it's really all about is land and planning."

"I'm a bit of a weird one because I'm a sort of hippie property developer, but I'm living in the real world so I know what it takes to get deals done."

"Most developers actually go bust, certainly the smaller ones. People don't really know about that. They just see the success stories and think we're all flying around in helicopters, making fortunes. It's not like that for most of us."

"We're basically the conductor of the orchestra, so we need to see the bigger picture and how everything fits together. We're the ones that take the big risks, the ones that have to put our wotsits on the line."

"The problem is, you know, when you build cheap, you build shit, you create shit, the whole environment goes to shit, people start acting like shit, and everything goes to f*cking shit."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠

Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠

Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠

YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

Land, Planning, and Viability: The Hidden Challenges of Building Homes with Michael Keaveny Part 2

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Are modern methods of construction really the answer to the UK’s housing crisis, or are there deeper challenges holding back development? Michael Keaveny, Director of Land and Development at Grainger PLC, to further discuss the realities of property development in the UK.

They discuss why innovation alone isn’t enough, how regulations like Gateway 2 impact viability, and what’s really needed to deliver more affordable housing. This conversation will give you a clearer understanding of the obstacles, and opportunities, that are shaping the UK´s home building industry.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Innovation, including Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), is not a silver bullet.
Builders are not Luddites; if a new way of doing things is better and cheaper, they adopt it.
At Grainger, specialist subcontractors who have the expertise to ensure each system e.g. Foundations and cladding are installed correctly and efficiently, do the design. Making the building more practical and buildable.
Most of the time building rules are made by people who have no practical experience of building homes. If you've got a lot of money going out before any starts coming in, it completely changes the numbers and makes things unviable.
Banning off-plan sales to international investors makes it much harder to finance and build new homes.
High construction costs and slim margins mean it’s not viable for developers to build homes that ordinary people can afford. It is far too big of a risk.
Without external financial support, e.g. subsidies, affordable housing isn’t viable under current market conditions.

BEST MOMENTS

“If it’s more expensive than traditional building, it’s got no business case.”

“Gateway two has stopped a load of schemes coming forward.”

“The only way we could build much cheaper flats is if the cost of construction dropped.”

“The message is getting through because development has stopped.”

“People who would head towards nimbyism, what they're really voting for is really to block the next generation.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Part 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/land-planning-and-viability-the-hidden/id1750859336?i=1000729415826

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Land, Planning, and Viability: The Hidden Challenges of Building Homes with Michael Keaveny

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

DESCRIPTION

In this episode, Paul is joined by Michael Keaveny, Director of Land and Development at Grainger PLC, whose career spans decades in the property development sector, from hands-on project management to leading major urban regeneration projects.

Together, they discuss the realities facing today’s property developers, including exploring why SME developers are disappearing, the mounting challenges of viability, and the complex economics behind affordable and social housing. Mike and Paul unpack the myths around land banking, reveal the true impact of planning delays, and discuss why the current system often fails to deliver the homes the UK needs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Developers are not land banking, they are building on it as fast as the market can absorb.
The biggest issue in property development is viability. Balancing land costs, construction expenses, affordable housing requirements, and market values is not possible for many sites.
Delivering affordable and social housing is rarely viable without the provision of significant subsidies. Even when the land is provided for free.
High affordable housing targets can make projects unviable, especially for smaller sites. Flexibility and realistic expectations are needed to ensure developments can proceed.
Developers are not the villains - most want to build quality homes and contribute to communities, but are hampered by systemic challenges.
The loss of SME developers reduces industry capacity, innovation, and competition, making it harder to meet national housing targets and address the housing crisis.

BEST MOMENTS

“No developer, especially not large house builders, could possibly buy a site and then sit on it and hope the value of the land goes up. It’s absolute rubbish.”

“Viability is the biggest issue in development. If it doesn’t stack up, it doesn’t get built…simple as that.”

“If you want the housing crisis solved, you need to start listening to the people that are trying to solve it.”

“Affordable housing is a land value tax. Every single affordable home has a negative land value attached to it.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million-pound, award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Maximizing Value in Land, Planning, and Design Off-Market Deals and £1 Options

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

DESCRIPTION

Are you ready to unlock the real secrets of successful property development? In this episode, Paul draws on his 40+ years of experience to reveal why the smartest developers focus on planning, design, and off-market deals to maximize value and minimize risk.

This episode includes practical strategies, insider tips, and the mindset you need to thrive in today’s property market.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Developers need to understand planning law and how various financing structures work themselves. Relying solely on consultants is not sufficient, they do not see the big picture e.g. an architect won´t know how to negotiate land deals that work.
Finding off-market deals and minimizing competition is crucial. Sourcing property deals off-market helps avoid bidding wars and protects profit margins.
Clever negotiation and securing opportunities on the best possible terms e.g. Using £1 option agreements and optimizing planning and design, developers can maximize value and profit before entering the most risky and costly stage which is building.

BEST MOMENTS

“In property development the risk is really how much time you need to spend on things, how much money and how much expertise you need.”

"All of the clever money and the value is created way before you get to the building bit."

"Being overly reliant on consultants is pretty much the worst thing you could do, and probably the biggest mistake that I see people make."

"Even now after 40 plus years, 90% of my deals are done on £1 option agreements, even though I could go just slapping money down, buying things if I really wanted to."

"Property development is all really about finding the best, minimising competition and then adding maximum value so that you've de-risked the process before you start. That's the key."

EPISODE RESOURCES

£1 property option agreements - https://www.ivoox.com/the-power-of-1-option-agreements-my-audios-mp3_rf_155852828_1.html

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Can Property Development Serve Both Communities and Investors?

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul & David Van Der Lande delve into the complexities of compulsory purchase orders (CPO) and development viability, featuring insights from David, a compulsory purchase and viability expert. They discuss the historical context of CPOs, their application in urban regeneration, and the challenges faced by local authorities in utilising these powers effectively.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Understanding Compulsory Purchase: Compulsory purchase powers are utilised by government entities to acquire land for public benefit, often for infrastructure projects or urban regeneration. Local authorities have specific powers, such as Section 226, to facilitate regeneration efforts.
Viability Challenges: Viability is a critical aspect of property development, particularly as it relates to the existing use value of land. Developers must ensure that the residual land value from a proposed development exceeds the benchmark land value, which is typically based on existing use value plus a potential premium.
Negotiation and Collaboration: Successful development often requires extensive negotiation with landowners and collaboration with local authorities. Developers should engage early with local authorities to align their proposals with public benefits and policy requirements.
Flexibility in Planning Obligations: Planning policies often allow for flexibility in affordable housing requirements. If a development proposal is not viable under full policy compliance, developers may negotiate to reduce affordable housing quotas to make the project financially feasible.
Importance of Evidence and Justification: Developers must provide robust evidence and justification for any deviations from planning policies, particularly regarding affordable housing. This includes demonstrating the financial viability of the project and undergoing scrutiny from independent experts on behalf of the local authority.

BEST MOMENTS

"Viability is a massive, massive, massive subject and becoming increasingly important as things become more and more unviable." - Paul

"If the public benefit outweighs the importance of protecting the private rights, then essentially you've got a prima facie case." - David

"It's not easy to get local authorities to do it. Unless it's pretty big and there's a pretty big benefit, they're probably not going to do it." - Paul

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠⁠

Millbank Land Academy: ⁠⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠⁠

Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠⁠

YouTube - ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Why Our Planning System Is Broken

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul sits down with leading industry expert Esther Kurland to explore the complexities of property development, planning policies, and the challenges faced by local authorities in delivering quality housing.

They discuss how design standards have evolved, the influence of government policies such as CABE and the London Plan, and the ongoing struggle between private development and the public good.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Good design in property development remains a driving motivation for industry leaders.
CABE was a pivotal force in raising architecture and design standards.
Local authorities are increasingly under-resourced, struggling with planning challenges.
Although planning has shifted toward pro-development, delivery is hampered by systemic underfunding.
Balancing density and quality is essential to building sustainable communities for the future.

BEST MOMENTS

“Promoting good design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about building communities that last.”
“CABE set the stage for a whole new way of thinking about planning and architecture.”
“Local authorities simply don’t have the resources to keep up with the demands of planning.”
“We’ve made planning more pro-development, but without resources, the system still doesn’t work.”
“Density and quality don’t have to be in conflict—done right, they can complement each other.”

HOST BIO

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years of experience in land, planning, and development, with a 100% success track record in securing planning consents.

Starting with his first refurb project at 17, Paul worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land at Barratt Developments, one of the UK’s largest housebuilders. In 2002, he left the corporate world to establish Millbank Group, now a multimillion-pound, award-winning property development company.

In 2013, he founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first dedicated training company for property developers, sharing insider knowledge the big housebuilders would rather keep secret. Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations at London South Bank University.

LinkedIn: Paul Higgs
Millbank Land Academy: millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram: @paulhiggsofficial
YouTube: Inside Property Development

This podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media.

The Housing Crisis in Britain: Why It’s Getting Worse

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Britain has been facing a housing shortage for decades, and the promises of 300,000 new homes a year remain unfulfilled. In this episode, Paul & Lewis Herbert explore why affordable housing is disappearing, how policy changes and planning hurdles have hurt small developers, and what it means for families struggling to buy or rent.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Housing Shortage Crisis: Britain has long failed to meet housing demands, with government targets of 300,000 homes per year largely unmet. This shortage drives up prices and rents, disproportionately affecting lower-income households.
Decline of Smaller Developers: Since the late 1980s, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) builders have dwindled due to complex planning regulations and market pressures. Their decline has reduced bespoke, community-focused housing development.
Impact of Policy Changes: Shifts in policy, particularly since the 1970s, have reduced the construction of social and affordable housing. The move away from council housing has increased reliance on an increasingly unaffordable private rental market.
Affordability Issues: The gap between income and housing costs has widened, making homeownership harder for younger generations. Families now face much higher multiples of income to afford a home compared to previous decades.
Need for a Comprehensive Strategy: Solving the crisis requires a cohesive approach that addresses housing needs at all income levels. Building more homes and ensuring affordable options are available is critical to preventing homelessness and supporting vulnerable populations.

BEST MOMENTS:

“We haven't been building enough homes for years and years, particularly since the mid-'70s.”
“The people who suffer the most... are on the bottom rung of the ladder.”
“I can't support claiming we're going to build 300,000 unless I can see where the numbers come from.”
“The ability to put up buildings… with modern methods… is not the only solution.”
“Housing is a bit of a tragedy and it is now swallowing a far higher percentage of a lot of people's incomes.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs⁠

Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠

Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial⁠

YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment⁠

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

Avoid This Property Development Mistake and Build a Future That Lasts

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode Paul talks through the significant barriers faced by house building developers, emphasising the critical issues of land availability, planning complexities, and the current skills shortage in the construction industry, Paul shares insights on the importance of understanding the development process and not overly relying on consultants.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Land and Planning Challenges: The primary barriers to growth for house building developers are the cost and availability of viable land, along with the complexities and delays in the planning system. These issues have been persistent and are worsening, leading to a significant housing shortage.
Skills Shortage in Construction: There is a critical skills shortage in the construction industry due to a lack of training and apprenticeships over the years. This has made the actual building process more challenging, compounding the difficulties faced by developers.
Over-Reliance on Consultants: Many developers make the mistake of being overly reliant on their consultants, particularly architects and planning consultants. It is crucial for developers to have a comprehensive understanding of the entire development process to effectively manage and instruct their consultants.
Importance of Knowledge and Experience: For smaller developers, possessing a certain level of knowledge and experience is essential to navigate the complexities of property development. This knowledge helps in managing the various consultants and ensuring that the development process runs smoothly.
The Insider System: A structured approach, referred to as the Insider System, is essential for successful property development. This system emphasises the importance of instructing consultants rather than merely asking for their input, highlighting the developer's role in coordinating the entire process to achieve optimal outcomes.

BEST MOMENTS

"The cost and availability of viable land and the planning system are the biggest barriers to growth for house building developers."

"Building in a sustainable way, and in particular, protecting and looking after nature is a massively important thing."

"When developers become overly reliant on their consultants, particularly architects and planning consultants, that is usually where things can go very, very wrong."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

The Future of Housing: Challenges & Solutions for Small Developers

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:08:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul sits down with property developers Phill Williams and James Emmons to discuss the issues that are preventing SMEs from building new homes in the UK. Including some of the things that can be done to mitigate the risks that are making this problem worse.

Paul also shares the details of a new piece of software he is creating to help developers very quickly identify whether a site is financially viable or not.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The chance to develop on the grey belt is a once in a lifetime opportunity for developers.
Planning in the UK is so slow and complicated that most SMEs can no longer build. They don´t have the skills to get through planning or the necessary cashflow.
Dodgy lenders are actively feeding off of the complexity of the UK´s building system.
Some lenders deliberately withhold funds at crucial drawdown points, knowing that the developer will no longer be able to fund the deal. The lender then takes it off of them and makes the money themselves.
Often, inexperienced developers make the deal, only to realize later they missed something, and the numbers don’t stack up.
Affordability is the big elephant in the room – when sales are too slow the risk for the developer becomes too high.
Per sq. ft build costs has reached the point where in some parts of the country, especially where property prices are low, there is no way to make a profit.

BEST MOMENTS

“Someone has got to de-risk and create the opportunities for other smaller developers to build.”

“Stacking the schemes correctly is absolutely crucial.”

“Modular, in my opinion, isn’t going to be the main thing that solves the housing crisis.”

“Modular manufacturers don’t really understand the land and planning market well enough.”

“Partial funding to mitigate or share risk, I think is a way forward.”

“Coming up with the scheme that's going to maximize land values is really the art of property

development.”

“It's really important to pay good tradespeople on time and pay them fair rates.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Land Economics episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/land-economics- 101/id1750859336?i=1000711086989

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years & experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt

Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Conquering Modern Design, Planning, and Urban Challenges with Esther Kurland part 1

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:07:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is joined by veteran planner Esther Kurland, the director of UDL, who has extensive experience, including roles at London Transport, the GLA, and several other local authorities. Esther provides an in-depth look at the challenges property developers currently face, how we got here and, importantly, how these issues can be overcome.

Including, multi-time cities, planning for objectives rather than by numbers and communal spaces e.g. Play areas being shared by small groups of neighbours, which could change the density matrix.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Esther's personal experience of living in a poorly designed housing estate sparked her interest in urban planning.
Planning policy is still too complex.
Developers must now achieve multiple objectives including growth, public good, and financial viability.
Some planners think they exist to facilitate growth, others think they exist to facilitate community good and each type of planner tends to only focus on that one thing.
You need a certain density of people to get neighbourhood facilities to work.
If you only build suburbs, you end up needing expensive transport infrastructure.
If you plan for quality, you automatically produce a development that is the correct density for the site. Esther explains how that happens.
Planning policies that say what they are trying to achieve e.g. Good ventilation encourages designers to innovate.
Local authorities are critically under-resourced so developers must be prepared to engage more collaboratively.

BEST MOMENTS

“We literally took the policies out of those 20 different documents and put them in one little concertina booklet that you could put in a pocket.”

"We seem to have been going through planning reform forever. It will settle down now, but we're still not there."

“The planning system has become more and more housing target driven.”

"I think we're building a lot of slums, basically in some of the schemes we see in the highest densities."

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.urbandesignlearning.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-kurland-33017115

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

SME Developers & the Grey Belt: Two Game-Changers for Solving the Housing Crisis

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:06:00 -0000

In this episode Paul takes a deep dive into the government’s emerging “Grey Belt” concept — and whether it could be the planning breakthrough needed to ease the UK housing crisis.

Drawing on over 40 years in the housebuilding industry, Paul explains what Grey Belt land is likely to mean in practice, how it differs from traditional Green Belt, and why the viability of sites will be the make-or-break factor. You’ll hear real-world examples, policy insights, and practical tips on how developers — especially SMEs — can identify and approach these sites.

If you’re serious about development opportunities in a changing planning landscape, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The “Grey Belt” will likely refer to poor-quality or previously developed Green Belt land, often with existing buildings or dereliction.
Public perception of the Green Belt is often romanticised — not all of it is pristine countryside.
Proximity to existing settlements and sustainable transport links will be critical for planning approval.
Viability is the key issue — high affordable housing requirements could stall many potential sites.
Tools like LandTech’s Land Insight can help identify likely Grey Belt opportunities.
The policy could open up new sites for development — but it won’t solve the housing crisis alone.

BEST MOMENTS

“There shouldn’t be any sides in this — we should all be working together to create good housing and places.”

“Not all Green Belt is beautiful fields and forests — some of it is derelict and crying out for redevelopment.”

“The million-dollar question is: how messy does a Green Belt site need to be before it’s classed as Grey Belt?”

“If viability isn’t handled sensibly, very few of these sites will ever be developed.”

HOST BIO

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

The Power of £1 Option Agreements & My 100% Planning Success Strategy

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:03:00 -0000

Paul dives into one of the most powerful tools in a developer’s toolkit – the £1 option agreement. Despite sounding too good to be true, option agreements are a tried-and-tested way of controlling land without needing huge amounts of upfront cash.

Paul explains what they are, how they work, why landowners agree to them, and how they can be used to unlock serious planning gain.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Option agreements give you control, not obligation – you can secure land while buying time to add value, without committing if the market changes.

Landowners benefit because developers take on the cost and risk of increasing the site’s value.

The real profit comes from planning uplift – using knowledge and expertise to turn a £1m site into a £2m+ opportunity.

Negotiating the right price is critical – get it wrong and the deal isn’t viable.

Option agreements can also be sold or assigned on, meaning you can profit without ever completing on the land.

Success depends on deep planning knowledge – anticipating objections, reverse-engineering the process, and effectively “doing the planners’ job for them.”

Paul’s approach has helped him maintain a 100% planning approval track record over four decades.

BEST MOMENTS

“Why would I spend millions buying land if I can control it with a pound and a piece of paper?”

“Option agreements buy you time – and in property development, time is everything.”

“The name of the game is making the pie as big as possible, and then negotiating how it gets divided.”

“I’ve never had a landowner pull out of an option agreement in 30+ years – when done right, they’re rock solid.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years’ experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

He worked his way up from small refurb projects to becoming Head of Land at Barratt Developments before founding his own award-winning development company, Millbank Group, in 2002.

In 2013, Paul launched the Millbank Land Academy – the UK’s first training company dedicated to teaching developers the strategies the big housebuilders would rather keep to themselves. He is also a founding investor in PropTech leader LandTech and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: Paul Higgs

Millbank Land Academy: millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram: @paulhiggsofficial

YouTube: Inside Property Development

The Hidden Homelessness Epidemic & Modern Methods Of Construction: Dave Hughes

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Paul discusses with David Hughes, design director of Hughes Architects, focusing on the pressing issue of temporary housing in the UK. They delve into the staggering costs incurred by councils on temporary accommodation, particularly in London, where the financial burden has reached £114 million per month.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Temporary Housing Crisis: There are currently 117,000 households in temporary accommodation in the UK, with London accounting for about half of that number. The financial burden on councils is significant, with London councils spending £114 million per month on temporary housing.

Need for Immediate Solutions: The discussion emphasizes the urgency of addressing the temporary housing crisis, suggesting that while building permanent social housing is essential, it typically takes four to five years. In the meantime, there is a need for quicker, temporary solutions to provide better living conditions for families currently in substandard accommodations.

Modular Housing Proposal: A proposed solution involves using modular housing units on unused or stalled sites, which can be set up quickly and leased to councils for temporary use. This approach aims to provide better living conditions than hotels or B&Bs while being more cost-effective than current temporary housing options.

Planning Challenges: The planning process is identified as a significant barrier to delivering housing quickly. The complexity and length of the planning requirements often delay projects, and there is a call for a more flexible approach to temporary housing that recognizes the urgent need for crisis responses.

Collaboration with Local Authorities: Engaging with local authorities and private landowners is crucial for the success of the modular housing initiative. The goal is to identify suitable sites and run feasibility studies to determine the viability of temporary housing solutions, ultimately aiming to alleviate the financial and social pressures of the current housing crisis.

BEST MOMENTS

Dave: "The ridiculous amount that councils are spending on temporary housing is a massive financial issue and a quality of life issue for people."

Paul: "The problem is, planners at the moment act like they're the police, when actually it is an emergency they should be acting like the fire service."

Dave: "We can get temporary planning permission for five years for temporary housing on unused sites, and the modular providers then lease those homes to the council."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Q&A Designing the Future

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 23:02:00 -0000

In this episode Paul answers your questions about current trends in property design, the balance between creativity and functionality, and the impact of technology on future developments. Paul discusses the influence of modern methods of construction and sustainability on design aesthetics, highlighting the importance of collaboration between developers and local authorities in the planning process.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Design Trends in Property Development: Current design trends are influenced by modern methods of construction (MMC) and sustainability, leading to a mix of innovative and sometimes box-like aesthetics. Smaller developers often excel in creating well-designed properties due to their focus on niche sites.

Balancing Creativity and Functionality: Successful property development starts with functionality, ensuring that buildings meet market needs and provide pleasant living conditions. While creativity is important, it must be balanced with practicality to avoid costly mistakes during construction.

Collaboration with Planning Authorities: Developers should work collaboratively with local planning authorities to navigate the complexities of planning applications. Understanding the pressures faced by planners can help foster a more cooperative relationship, ultimately leading to smoother approvals.

De-risking Projects: To mitigate risks in property development, it is crucial to add value before starting a project, such as securing off-market opportunities and conducting thorough research on site constraints. This proactive approach can create a buffer against unforeseen challenges.

Sustainability Challenges: Building sustainably often comes with higher costs, which can be a significant barrier. As regulations evolve and sustainable practices become more mainstream, the industry may find more cost-effective methods to achieve high sustainability standards.

BEST MOMENTS

"One of the things I personally actually don't like about a lot of modular and MMC stuff is you can tell that that's what it is... when it's not done well does look very box-like."

"The best developers, in my opinion, they are super knowledgeable, they want to do good stuff, and they are really, really into architecture and design."

"Persimmon, not good. Everything that's bad about property development and house building, in my opinion."

"We need to make things as easy as humanly possible for local authority planners and for planning departments."

"The more knowledge, skill and expertise and the better professional team you've got, the better decisions you will be able to make."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know! Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University. CONTACT METHOD LinkedIn: ⁠ / paul-higgs⁠ Millbank Land Academy: ⁠https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk⁠ Instagram - ⁠ / paulhiggsofficial⁠ YouTube - ⁠ / @insidepropertydevelopment This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

How Today´s Planning System Puts All of the Cost Burdens on Developers

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul is once again joined by the Director of Town Centre Regeneration Ltd, David Van Der Lande. He is a land development consultant who specialises in assessing viability and land assembly. David is also a compulsory purchase expert.

This time he and Paul discuss land valuation, the impact of affordable housing requirements, access to finance, town centre regeneration and more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paul and David share real-world examples to demonstrate how challenging ticking the viability box has become.
It is possible to overcome local authorities who use policy to slow development. But, doing so, is time-consuming.
Housing associations do not want to have to manage groups of 2 or 3 affordable homes scattered throughout an area.
Raising the trigger level for affordable housing to say 25 houses will result in more homes being built, overall.
Most councils will not accept the need for there to be a bigger profit margin when the market is falling. Large developers have access to cheaper finance than smaller developers. This fact is not taken into account by planners.
Currently, developers are shouldering all of the costs of addressing society´s problems e.g. affordable housing.

BEST MOMENTS

“Most policies, allow the flex in the affordable housing elements.”

“The actual costs to the council increase substantially for every appeal that they lose.”

“There are ways to cut through the complications.”

Want to improve your ability to quickly assess the viability of a development site? go to https://bitly.com/MLASCORE. There you will find Paul´s free MLA Scorecard – a short quiz that tests your current land viability abilities and helps you to instantly improve them. Over the past 40 years, Paul hasachieved 100% planning application success. So, you are sure to learn a ton.

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-van-der-lande-2b947413

Previous episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-role-compulsory-purchase-

orders-will-play-in-uk/id1750859336?i=1000716397419

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years 39; experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from

labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt

Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a

multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated

to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets

the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!

Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech

Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property

Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Conquering Modern Design, Planning, and Urban Challenges with Esther Kurland Part 2

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul once again sits down to talk with veteran planner Esther Kurland, the director of UDL, who has extensive experience including roles at London Transport, the GLA, and several other local authorities. Esther and Paul once again look at the challenges property developers are currently facing and how these issues can be overcome.

They discuss the use of the grey belt and why, at some stage, the green belt restrictions will need to change, how design codes work in reality and more. Esther also provides an overview of how Design Review Panels now work.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

It is very easy for a council that is pro-development to evolve into one that is hard to work with.
The grey belt change may be trickier to take advantage of than many developers realise.
It is not easy to determine what land is grey belt and what is not.
There is a lot of wooliness in planning requirements which is holding development back.
Design codes can be a good tool for addressing the most pressing design
requirements. These are things that have been consistently asked for.
Codes should be there to stop the worst from happening.
Creating developments that have the ability to change ensures that they last well.
You don´t have to add many requirements to get away from the Tetris-type homes – e.g., changing the way parking is handled.

BEST MOMENTS

“I personally think it's right that we review the way the Green Belt works and that we're using the land better,”

“Having guidance is definitely useful, but having really overly fixed codes or local authorities that try to impose them too strictly, I think is potentially really dangerous .”

“Design review helps identify any problems early on that could lead to delay or disappointment later on.”

“Don't pay for design review if it's not meeting this code of conduct.”

“Planners do tend to copy what has been done before.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-kurland-33017115

https://www.urbandesignlearning.com

Previous episode with Esther Kurland - https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/inside- property-development-5761561/episodes/conquering-modern-design-plann-258095104

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents. Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from

labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

The Role Compulsory Purchase Orders Will Play in UK Housing Delivery with David Van Der Lande

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul is joined by the Director of Town Centre Regeneration Ltd, David Van Der Lande, a development consultant, viability, land assembly and compulsory purchase expert with many decades of experience. He and Paul discuss how CPOs have been used historically and how they are likely to be used in the future to enable local authorities to

deliver on the government´s new housing targets.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

All local councils can use compulsory purchase powers (CPOs) to deliver a public benefit.
CPOs are still mainly used for road building and occasionally for regeneration or key infrastructure projects.
More councils are starting to once again take advantage of Compulsory Purchase Orders.
We can expect to see CPOs being used more in the near future as the government pushes local authorities to meet new housing targets.
In the past, CPOs have been used to deliver large projects, e.g. town centre regeneration, a road or a power station.
Potentially, developers could ask local authorities to use CPOs at a much more granular level. David explains how this might be done and the likelihood of success.
You have to demonstrate that the development can actually be delivered before a council will seriously back the use of CPOs.
There are rules coming down the road which might impact on capital values for certain types of land.

BEST MOMENTS

“Government has been caught out a few times by the cost of buying land using CPO powers.

So there is motivation, shall we say, to try and curtail the amount of money that has been paid to landowners.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-van-der-lande-2b947413

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group. In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets

the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!

Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property

Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Rethinking Housing: Flexibility, Affordability, & Social Value with Félicie Krikler

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul is joined by Félicie Krikler of Barr Gazeta. She and Paul discuss
changing the way buildings are designed to make them easier to repurpose and the idea of
making tried and tested, cost effective home designs that work for most sites that are highly
likely to pass planning available for builders.

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Reworking our existing buildings makes sense. Félicie provides examples that
demonstrate what works and what doesn´t.
Designing buildings in a way that makes them easy to repurpose is desirable.
Repurposing is a balancing act between cost effectiveness, embodied carbon and
planning gain.
Collaboration is key to repurposing.
Prioritising quality of life for residents is an important component of any successful
development.
Build to rent is genuinely making housing more affordable.
The cost of building a 40 sq. meter property is 20% lower than for a 50 sq. meter
one. Far more affordable for buyers or tenants.

BEST MOMENTS
“We are in a time where buildings should be viewed in a flexible way.”
“We were looking at a construction system that could be accommodating for a number of
different uses.”
“As architects, our projects don´t end on the day of completion…our responsibility lasts
throughout the whole life of the building that impacts people´s lives.”
“More and more there’s a realisation of the importance of social value.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/f%C3%A9licie-krikler-37945350
https://barrgazetas.com
https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/good-homes-for-all-why-we-are-showcasing-20-of-
the-nations-best-housing-schemes

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience
in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning
consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from
labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt
Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a
multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated
to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets
the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech
Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property
Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Designing Communities, Not Just Buildings with Tim Riley

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is joined by Tim Riley, director of the award-winning architectural
practice RCKa. He believes buildings can be catalysts for social change and has experience
of building homes and facilities that genuinely have transformed people´s lives and improved
areas.

You will learn how you can be involved in transforming our society by providing great
homes.

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Community groups tend to be focused on delivering their services, so rarely have the
energy and resources to dedicate to a building project.
Consulting with the community and stakeholder groups helps you to create an
appealing scheme.
Only a small % of an architect´s time is spent drawing. The best architects spend a
lot of time liaising to get the most out of a site e.g. the structural engineer and testing
the design Fully housing policy compliant schemes rarely stack up.
Leverage design review panels. They really are there to help.
The later living sector is still underserved.
Developing later living on peri urban areas makes sense.
Communities near later living villages can also benefit from new infrastructure, shops
and facilities.
Later living communities are multi-generational e.g. They have play facilities for
grandchildren.

BEST MOMENTS

"From the outset we decided that we were going to design an appeal ready scheme.”

“As a developer, the best thing you can do is focus on good design.”
“You´re delivering homes at a third of the cost land wise.”

RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timriley2
https://rcka.co.uk

Land Economics 101

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

If you are tired of all the noise and misinformation about land values and development
economics, this episode of the Inside Property Development podcast is for you. Paul cuts
through the confusion and gives you the real deal.

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The true driver behind development is economics. Starting with being able to
incentivise the landowner to sell.
Now that planning takes so long, the initial profit margin has to be relatively high. You
need a substantial margin of error built into your calculations.
Prior to 1988 lots of smaller builders built a few houses and sold them. After that,
planning got too complicated.
The government still has not understood the underlying problems e.g. Their new
legislation targets land banking, which is not a thing. Sitting on land which has
planning permission makes zero sense.
Over the last few years, building costs have risen by 30%. The fact that this happens.

BEST MOMENTS
“It's not developers being greedy. That's driving this whole process. The thing that's really
driving the whole process is existing use values and meeting and beating landowners’
expectations.”
“Focusing on off-market sites and adding maximum planning value is basically how you de-
risk development as much as you possibly can.”
“The thing that really drives the whole development industry is existing use values and being
able to incentivize landowners to sell.”
“Since 1988 planning got so difficult that they've ended up having to try to buy stuff with
planning because they don't know how to do it themselves.”

Tackling UK Homelessness Using Modular Homes with Lewis Herbert

Tue, 20 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul once again sits down to speak to Lewis Herbert to talk about the really important issues of homelessness and the housing crisis. As well as discussing how we got here, they look at some of the potential solutions, including the use of modular housing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In the UK, 134,000 people aged 16 to 25 are homeless or at risk.
There are 150,000 rough sleepers.
Homeless people need somewhere secure to live, it does not have to be big.
The fact that these homes are genuinely temporary means they can be compact.
Compact homes can be built and connected to utilities for £100,000 and projects can be delivered in a year.
Cardiff already has enough two-storey modular homes to house 300 families.
Lewis shares several other examples across the UK.
Travelodge´s are expensive, so modular homes don´t take long to pay for
themselves.

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

BEST MOMENTS
“I´ve got a passion for affordable housing.”
“I’m a fan of modern methods of construction.”
“If we’re going to get people out of hotel rooms, if we’re going to get people off the streets, compact is the way we’ve got to go.”
“It´s a very happy community on what was a car park.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-herbert-84378110

Allia Future Homes - https://futurebusinesscentre.co.uk/our-impact/future-homes
Cardiff – https://businessnewswales.com/residents-welcome-temporary-homes-in-modular-
housing-scheme/
Motels to homes - https://chesshomeless.org
https://www.zedpods.com
https://www.social-bite.co.uk
https://www.fusearchitects.co.uk

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Unlocking Potential: Strategies for Viable & Sustainable Projects With Leanne Tritton

Tue, 13 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul is joined by Leanne Tritton, the founder, former MD and EOT Trustee of ING Media, a team of strategic communications specialists for the built world. They think differently and invest energy and creativity into transforming the way people see buildings, cities and infrastructure.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The building sector is very tribal, very siloed, which is counterproductive.
The smartest operators understand getting a project over the line takes many hands and are able to engage with all the groups involved.
When things go wrong, the natural thing is to add a layer to stop it happening again, usually in the form of legislation.
Now, we have so many layers the only ones who can break through it all and deliver a project has to have deep pockets.
Property companies are becoming a bit anonymous and too technocratic.
Shareholders interests are aligned with producing a great product.
Margins are not so tight, that you can´t build quality homes.
There are 600,000 unused buildings in the UK that are suitable for housing. If
developed they bring homes into existing communities.

BEST MOMENTS
“Our sector is very tribal.”
“There´s not been a lot of understanding about how it all fits together.”
“Some people in positions of leadership in the built environment are too far removed from the end product.”

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.dontwastebuildings.com

https://2025.ukreiif.com/

Jon Stewart and Ezra Klein – Abundance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcZxaFfxloo

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

A Flawed Bill That Harms Both Nature & Developers With Alexa Culver

Tue, 06 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul sits down with Alexa Culver, a lawyer who specialises in the field of
environmental development, planning and natural capital. She is legal counsel for RSK
Wilding - a DEFRA designated body under the Environment Act, which creates large scale nature restoration schemes that support developers to replace habitats.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill Part III is flawed. Paul and Alexa discuss how
things got so out of hand and the solution.
Not having any evidential requirement for an EDP to come into effect is highly
problematic.
If there is no mitigation hierarchy the pace at which nature declines speeds up.
A 28-day window of consultation for an EDP is ridiculously short.
We know from past experience that the way forward is for all involved parties to work together e.g. Newts are protected, but the way it is done has been greatly
streamlined.
The very existence of the bill, even in its draft form, has created uncertainty that has slowed down development.

BEST MOMENTS
“It´s such a blunt instrument and it doesn’t work.”
“It can’t be an objective environmental watchdog while relying on levies from developers.”
“Here we will be accelerating the harm.”
“Our ecosystems and local people´s environment is being sacrificed protect the profits of overseas companies.”
“It´s the absolute killer of any attempt to try to make an offsetting scheme work.”
“There´s some really wide-reaching, consequential amendment clauses in the bill.”

The Property Development Scorecard

https://millbanklandacademy.scoreapp.com

RESOURCES
Alexa´s post -https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7313892173786091520

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Understanding The Root Causes Of The UK´s Housing Crisis With Lewis Herbert

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul and Lewis Herbert sit down to discuss the root causes of the UK current housing crisis and how the problem can be solved. For decades, Lewis has worked to tackle homelessness and the housing crisis.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

After the war, successive governments focused on housing. Millions of council
houses and good quality private homes were built.
The UK has not been building enough homes for about 50 years.
The private sector has not been given the necessary levers and incentives to be able to build more.
Planning at the county level for large-scale development would be a more effective approach.
Many housing associations want ideal tenants, so the homeless do not qualify.
In countries where house prices remain reasonable, rent is actually affordable.
Even in Cambridge, where thousands of homes have been built, there is still not
enough housing. In the 90s, the average cost of a home was 3 times a family´s income.
In 2021, it was 9 times their household income.
The economy is damaged because people can no longer afford to move for work.
There are a lot of potential buyers, but very few that can afford to buy.
Intensive development does not have to mean sub-standard or small homes.
New techniques enable faster building.

BEST MOMENTS
“The people that suffer the most are on the bottom rung of the ladder… some are forced into temporary accommodation.”“We need many more small house builders to solve the housing crisis.”
“In 1976, the tap was turned off for social housing.”
“Land banking isn´t really a thing.”
“We have failed this generation.”

ABOUT THE GUEST
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-herbert-84378110
Dave Hughes episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyKp-0P730s

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Beyond the Drawing Board From Architect to Developer with Michael Langley

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul talks to Michael Langley, an architect turned developer, who started his career in London designing high-end buildings, extensions and basements. During COVID he decided to transition into development. He has already delivered projects and has several others in the pipeline.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

It is not the job of the architect to know everything about development. Their training does not cover all aspects of the processes used to construct a building.
Architects that have the right experience will use what they know to inform their
design process e.g. If they have repeatedly seen a building feature rejected at the
planning stage they will not include it.
Developers need to give their architect a proper brief, something that rarely happens.
Complex designs, e.g. Roofs with funny angles look good but cost more.
The timber frame method enables you to get watertight faster and have more trades on site earlier
The unintended consequences of legislation changes is making it increasingly
difficult to find viable deals, but they are still out there.
Focus on off market deals, connect with landowners and build a pipeline of deals. Be patient, this takes time.

BEST MOMENTS
“You´ve got to factor so much more into your design process than just hitting the brief.”
“Its just as important to instruct your consultants correctly and provide your architects with a proper brief.”
“We managed to de-risk it slightly.” “They really don’t understand the impact of a lot of the s**t we have to deal with - the Section 106 agreement is a classic example.”
“We've got to make deals viable. If we can't create a certain land value the housing will not get created.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-langley-mla
https://www.instagram.com/mlangleyproperty

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Build Efficiently To Shave Tens Of Thousands Off Your Build Cost With Richard Stone

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul is joined by Richard Stone, a chartered construction manager and cost consultant. He also trains people in project management and turns them into experienced developers which enables them to grow their wealth far quicker than they would if they worked a salaried job with a traditional pension.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Working in construction is an excellent gateway into development and building wealth quickly.
Use the most cost-effective fast way to get the roof on.
Every week you can shave off of construction time is worth 4k in profit.
Being uber organised and having everything you need on site, right down to the right size cable ties massively improves efficiency and build quality.
Pay decent rates to tradespeople who work efficiently, to a high standard and are self-managing.
If you are doing a commercial property, strip it out before determining the final conversion cost.
Risk is a good thing, that is where the profit is. But only if you identify it and already have a viable plan in place to mitigate it.
For many projects, JCT contracts are helpful, e.g. to raise finance and secure clients.

BEST MOMENTS
“You can't turn up at Twickenham on a f**king polo pony … you are there to play rugby….every development is different”
“If you don't have risk, you can't have opportunity.”
“I wouldn't suggest that anybody that's new to development start by trying to deliver their own development, it will fail.”
“You need to be an octopus to spin the amount of plates you’ve got to spin.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://richardmstone.com
https://www.hbf.co.uk/news/hbf-report-state-play-challenges-and-opportunities-facing-sme-home-builders

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

The Property Development Insider System – Stages 1 & 2

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul talks about the main challenges property developers face and shares how he overcame each of them. He covers finding plots of land where the level of competition is minimal, how to quickly assess sites without spending a lot of money, securing the deal on good terms and maximising the profit. Paul also explains why you need to have your exit in mind and how to make a direct approach that maximizes your chances of a positive response from landowners.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Finding viable sites where the level of competition is minimal is key.
You cannot afford to spend a lot of time and money assessing sites that eventually turn out not to be viable.
Using options is usually the best way to secure your deal on the best terms.
The existing use value is what you need to beat in order to incentivise the landowner to sell.
Making the value pie as big as possible is vital. The bigger it is, the more likely the landowner is to sell.
There are some great online resources that you can use to find sites.
With the right approach and experience you will find deals that others have missed.

BEST MOMENTS
“Properly assessing a site and taking it through planning can be really slow and expensive until you figure out what to do.”
“The bigger overall value pie you create, the better.”
“So, this is me breaking down every step into a logical system and progression. So, it's easy for people to understand and remember.”
“When you’ve found opportunities, you then need to make an approach to the landowner in a very specific way.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
Options episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/%C2%A31-option-agreements/id1750859336?i=1000679140634

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Neutralising Nimbyism: Using Give My View To Win Community Support With Henry Bliss

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is joined by Henry Bliss of Give My View, the app that makes it far easier for developers to engage with communities, find and motivate potential project supporters and effectively deal with any local objections. It creates surveys that are fast and easy to complete. Ensuring all voices are heard, rather than just the NIMBY view.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Traditional consultation methods only hear from a vocal minority, usually older people with time, which drowns out the perspectives of the broader community.
Give My View makes it really easy for anyone to have a say and can be used at any stage of project development.
Providing feedback only takes a few minutes and is available across all devices.
The Give My View team can help developers to ask the right questions in a format
that encourages honest and useful answers.
If you ask people – Do you want this here? Most will automatically say no. It´s human nature to say no to change. So, don´t ask that type of question.
Using social media ads to ask people to take part enables you to target people in a very specific area.
Be concise, often people will be filling out the survey in the few minutes they get
between tasks.

BEST MOMENTS
“You are able to speak to the silent majority, so people who aren't against change, people
who aren't NIMBYs (get a voice too).”
“We can engage with 1000s of people if the project scope allows.”
“With a small marketing budget, we can bring 1000s of new eyeballs to your survey ads.”
“People have a greater connection to things they help build.”
“Once people use us, they come back because they see the benefit.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.givemyview.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-bliss-969b933b

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planningconsents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Doubling The Square Footage Per Acre with David Birbeck

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul sits down with David Birbeck, one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to planning and development. He is the CEO of Design for Homes, a Housing Design Awards director, an Honorary Fellow of RIBA, HCA design board member, NHBC councillor and Housing Forum board member.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Despite the desperate need for housing in the UK, at some point, somebody will start a sort of anti-development lobby.
Most authorities struggle to get their local plans adopted, so most will not manage to release a third more land.
Cambridge was the first to redraw its green belt and broke the record for the most new homes built.
If you get the design of low-level buildings right, you don´t need to build mostly flats to achieve 25 homes per acre.
Switching from traditional housing types and building a broader range of housing has been key to making a generous profit.
Cambridge planners focus on community, character, connectivity and climate benefit, not the architecture.
Redrawing developments with planning to improve density is already happening.

BEST MOMENTS
“We set up a series of ideas to improve housing and the government has adopted some of them.”
“Cambridge has become, by accident …. a laboratory for new housing ideas.”
“When you look at Great Knighton it's all coming in at a minimum of about 25 homes to the acre.”
“110 years later, we’re still working to a rule that’s about Edwardian sensibilities.”

ABOUT THE GUEST
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-birkbeck-399b771a

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Designing Buildings That Are Viable With Oli Lowrie

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul talks to Oli Lowrie, the director and co-founder of Ackroyd Lowrie Architects. He and his co-founder John Ackroyd believe that architecture is too siloed. They are entrepreneurs as well as architects, they do not simply stay in their lane. Instead, they anticipate the issues projects typically face and create designs that enable developers to more easily get around these problems.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Make sure you always work with the best consultants.
The shifting legislative framework is leading to plans needing to be reworked and resubmitted.
Most legislators do not see the bigger picture, so don´t fully understand the impact changes have.
There are now financial benefits to taking a sustainable approach.
The government still needs to do a lot to make the market viable for developers.
Oli shares examples of how to turn office spaces into housing.
The new BSA is going to lead to architects’ fees going up. Oli explains why.

BEST MOMENTS
“We are entrepreneurs who just happen to be able to design buildings.”
“Architecture is a little bit too siloed, and architects tend to stay in their lane and just think about designing buildings.”
“Harlow is a really interesting place…Dan Sword is very committed to transforming Harlow.”
“Most people are just looking at it through their little lens. They don't understand the bigger picture.”
“Sustainability can be used to produce a better ROI.”
“Lots of people get tempted to go for the cheaper stuff, but it's dangerous.”

ABOUT THE GUEST
https://www.ackroydlowrie.com

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Building A Robust Property Business with Saam Lowni

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul talks to Saam Lowni a highly successful property entrepreneur who now specialises in providing innovative property finance solutions for investors and developers. Saam has been passionate about property from a very young age, so much so that he worked on building sites, with developers and in real estate offices, sometimes for free, to learn as much as he could.
He and Paul discuss his journey, including weathering the 2008 financial crisis and switching from development to becoming a finance broker. They also discuss high yielding income producing assets, making a profit in a tight market and financing options.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The property market is cyclical, it regularly goes from boom to bust. Sometimes the cycle is long, other times short. Build a robust business to weather the storms.
Having high yielding income producing assets in your portfolio enables you to keep up with payments regardless of financial crisis.
Property is a marathon, not a sprint.
You have to evolve, spot the trends early and change promptly.
Currently, developers cannot rely on house prices rising enough to cover issues and costs that they have not planned for.

BEST MOMENTS
“S**t like this can, does and will happen, it always has. Boom, bust happens.”
“If you don't have a high yielding, income producing asset, you are going to get caught out.”
“To be a developer, you need to know your local area and who the landowners are.”
“Finance is becoming much more of a problem.”
“A proper margin, in my opinion, is at least 20% of GDV.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
sam@merryoaks.com
https://www.facebook.com/saamlowni
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saamlowni
https://www.instagram.com/saamlowni

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

The Future Of Planning In 2025 With David Jones

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul talks to David Jones, the managing director of Evans Jones Planning and Property Consultancy. He has been working in planning for 30+ years. He and Paul look at how the planning system has evolved and is likely to look in the future. Including the impact recent changes are already having e.g. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). As well as how the Housing Delivery Test (HDT) is likely to play out, particularly in the Green Belt.
Paul also explains how his new software Viability enables developers to spot at a very early stage whether a site is viable or not.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Whether a council is for or against development is still going to determine how easy it is to build.
Those councils that have delivered less than 75% of the required housing over the last three years will be under the presumption to permit development umbrella.
The HDT blows a hole in the idea that you can never build on Green Belt land, but the Golden Rules criteria, e.g. affordable housing, presents challenges.

BEST MOMENTS
“We're starting to see the first flurry of encouraging appeal decisions post the new NPPF.”
“It is no longer inappropriate to develop in the Green Belt where there is no five-year supply, and that is an absolute game-changer.”
“Any significant development scheme will always have dissenters. But it's how we deal with those and what we can do to publicise the benefits.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.evansjones.co.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jones-rtpi-rics-65b1053
https://www.designreviewpanel.co.uk
Viability Software - https://viability.site
BNG episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-practical-approach-to-bng-and/id1750859336?i=1000689091292

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Realising The Full Potential Of Your Land Despite Development Challenges By AJ Shome

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is joined by AJ Shome director of Founthill Land Planning and Development, a highly successful SME property developer who, in 2013, was one of Paul´s first mentees. They sit down to discuss the trials and tribulations they and others face getting planning permission and getting things built.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The time it takes to get a deal done is causing major issues for developers. Including forcing them to use less than ideal financing options.
• Developers need to be thick-skinned, innovative and persistent.
• Some of the restrictions developers face, are nonsensical e.g. AJ was asked to spend £100k to build a new access road to 4 homes that were already raised above flood risk levels.
• Consultees often say no to things they could pass largely because of a lack of experience.
• Constantly changing legislation leaves developers wasting time trying to adapt.
• The new NPPF changes, the grey belt, will open up a lot of opportunities. But the level of local resistance to such developments is still crazy high.
• Planning is too much of a game of cat and mouse, which wastes everyone´s time and money. Money that could be spent making the development better.
• GDV levels have dropped by nearly half.

BEST MOMENTS
“From that time onwards, I’ve pretty much done the Paul Higgs model in terms of land planning and development.”
“Every developer seems to be in a position where they're having to look at exit finance.”
“Now, so often, it's “computer says no”.”
“I've just had to submit three different variants of class Q in order to get this fallback.”
“We sound very doom and gloom, but our success record is extremely high.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.founthill.com

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

The INSIDER Property Development System – Stage 1 – Identifying your site

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, Paul shares a few more details about his INSIDER Property Development Framework. Starting with the I that stands for Identifying your site. This includes finding it through off-market opportunities, carrying out fact finding, narrowing down your options, net research, discussing options with the landowner, establishing relationships with other stakeholders and realising the deal.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The I in INSIDER stands for identifying the best sites.
The best deals are found through off-market opportunities – doing private, one-on-one deals directly with the landowner.
Learning how to find these sites enables you to develop sites yourself or make money as a land agent.
You have to understand planning. Without that knowledge you can´t do the rest.
Attend planning committee meetings for the council you will be working with.
Even landowners who have said no in the past will say yes if you approach them in the right way and at the right time.
Following up on your initial approach at the right time is key.

BEST MOMENTS
“The name of the game really is about finding the proper 100% off-market opportunities.”
“Land agency site finding is big business.”
“Focus and fact finding is about understanding the planning.”
“What I'm thinking about is, what's the best thing for that site, and what is it that's going to maximize the land value?”
“I´ve actually had 20,000 landowner meetings.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
Part 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tapping-into-insider-knowledge-to-create-highly-profitable/id1750859336?i=1000683094605

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

A Practical Approach to BNG and Environmental Assessment with Hayley Farnell

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Today, Paul talks to Hayley Farnell, director of Samsara Ecology and an ecologist with 20+ years of experience. They discuss the best ways for developers to conduct environmental studies, meeting the challenge of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), offsite habitat creation, brownfield site assessment and open mosaic habitats. Hayley also explains how to reach the point where you can still legally build while protecting any bats, newts or badgers you have on site.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Do not touch the site and get it environmentally assessed immediately. This enables you to plan ahead, prevent delays, reduces costs and makes BNG easier.
Breaking protection laws often leads to prosecution, a criminal record and your profits being taken from you.
Having bats, newts or badgers rarely means you can´t develop the site. Hayley explains how to work your way through these situations.
The idea behind BNG was to create a way for developers to leave the habitat better than when they started.
A significant % of small sites need to use offsite habitat creation to meet BNG criteria.
Most providers of offsite habitat plots offer poor-quality habitats. So, in reality, biodiversity net gains are not always achieved.
Assessors, ecologists, councils and developers need to work together to improve BNG.

BEST MOMENTS
“You've been talking in a no-bullsh**t way about some of the problems around BNG.”
“As long as things are done right, most of the time, things can be moved.”
“It's all bonkers, really.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfarnell
ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Methods of Modern Construction (MMCs) Is It Really A Viable Approach? with Dave Hughes

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is once again joined by Dave Hughes of Fuse Architects. This week they discuss Modern Methods of Construction (MMCs), looking at how they can help developers deliver consistently better-quality homes at a competitive price point, while also overcoming skills shortages.
They discuss the challenges developers face when using MMC and how to work out which category of MMC is suitable for each type of development.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• The best modern construction techniques are quicker, cheaper and better quality.
• Making things in a factory creates efficiency and therefore reduces cost.
• Many of the tried and tested building materials used in traditional construction are also used in modern construction methods.
• Most councils and housing associations are comfortable with the use of cat 2 panels.

BEST MOMENTS
“95% of what we build is basically sticking components together, very rarely do you ever make anything bespoke.”
“Roof trusses are a classic example.”
“The most extreme end of the volumetric world is an actual house.”
“If it's cheaper to build something traditionally, then the incentive is going to be there to build it traditionally.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.fusearchitects.co.uk
Previous Dave Hughes episodes - https://podcasts.apple.com/pt/podcast/using-temporary-planning-permission-to-quickly-house/id1750859336?i=1000682279712
https://podcasts.apple.com/pt/podcast/dave-hughes-the-developers-architect-design-grounded/id1750859336?i=1000676721440

ABOUT THE HOST
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.

CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Navigating Planning with Former Councillor and PR Specialist Henry Lamprecht

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

For this episode, Paul is joined by Henry Lamprecht, a leading Built Environment Communications and PR specialist at the Community Communications Partnership (CCP) and a former Councillor and lawyer. He and Paul discuss the current state of planning and the best ways to navigate the planning process both now and in the future.

You will also gain an understanding of how CCP works and how using their highly effective approach can help you to achieve planning consent success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Councillors are still mainly influenced by what the people who vote for them say, so take residents with you.
Addressing the needs of the community creates opportunities for all stakeholders, e.g. providing the opportunity for people to downsize and stay in their community.
The Community Communications Partnership (CCP) includes people from all political parties. All views are represented.
The CCP approach works. For one development they got 100% consent.
Using online resources to do the community consultation is far more effective than pop-in exhibitions.
Use social media effectively. Target people who need housing and use layman´s terms to explain how they will benefit from the development.
Leverage Section 106 to meet community needs.
In the future, you will likely have to get your development included in the local plan.
New towns next to existing settlements is a practical approach, but it will take time to deliver. So, smaller developments are still vital.

BEST MOMENTS

“As a councillor, you measure the importance of something by the content of your mailbag.”

“When I started as a councillor, I had absolutely no idea about planning legislation. ”

“Drop in exhibitions in the village hall … are just not working.”

“Focus (communication) on the people that want and need housing.”

“They (councillors) are acting like the police, when they should be acting like the fire and ambulance service trying to solve the crisis.”

“Do not put yourself in the middle of a political battle.”

“You have to pay the section 106. Make sure that it actually delivers tangible benefits for that community, that's how you convince them.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.theccp.net

https://www.cityam.com/build-a-new-town-in-london

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Tapping Into INSIDER Knowledge to Create Highly Profitable Developer Deals

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Inside Property Podcast, Paul talks about developing your ability to get deals done. Explaining how to get things to stack up so that you and anyone else involved in the deal can make enough profit to be able to repeat the process and continue to create the buildings and homes the UK so desperately needs. The advice he shares in this episode is applicable whether you are developing sites yourself or adding value then selling them on.

He lists out the main challenges you need to overcome and shares a simple way for you to learn how to do it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The first challenge is finding opportunities with minimal competition.
Putting together profitable development deals is a skill set that can be learned.
Paul has analysed all of his successful deals and those of other developers he knows and developed a step-by-step process that anyone can use to do the same.
Properly assessing the potential of a site before you buy is an essential skill.
The most important skill is being able to maximise the value of a piece of land. When you can do this, you can create no-brainer deals that are hard for landowners to resist.
Being able to get a project through planning and knowing how to source funding are also essential.
Understanding the motivations and goals of the landowner will help you put together a tempting deal.

BEST MOMENTS

“Quickly assessing the potential without wasting a whole load of time and money is really important.”

“The bigger the overall value pie you create, the better.”

“You need to have your exit in mind before you even start, because that will influence what you do in the early stages.”

“If you can't get them (the landowners) on board, you're never going to get a deal done.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

£1 Option Agreements episode - https://www.ivoox.com/1-option-agreements-audios-mp3_rf_136544437_1.html

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Using Temporary Planning Permission to Quickly House Homeless Families with David Hughes

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a7dm5yPqag

Today, Paul once again talks to David Hughes of Fuse Architects. This time they discuss temporary planning permission for modular housing units. David explains how using this approach would enable families who are often living together in a tiny B&B room to be properly housed in just 6 months. He also talks about why it makes financial sense for councils to use this method to increase housing stock in their area.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In the UK, 117,000 households are living in temporary accommodation.
London councils spend £114m a month on stop-gap accommodation.
A significant % of people are housed in sub-standard accommodation e.g., hotel rooms of just 16.5 sq. meters, at a time when you can´t build a one-bed flat of less than 50 sq. meters.
Building social housing currently takes 4 to 5 years.
If the houses are only temporary, many of the costly and time-consuming reports that are currently needed would not be necessary.
High building material inflation means that projects that were viable when plans were drawn up, become impossible to build because of finances.
Sites that are going to be sitting empty for years, e.g. stalled sites, can easily have modular housing put on them.
Modular housing can be leased to councils and are available for use in just 6 months.
Modular housing can be craned away and used elsewhere.
Using temporary planning permission can turn a site that is currently not financially viable into homes and generate income for the owner.

BEST MOMENTS

“Nationwide, there´s 117,000 households in temporary accommodation.”

“Greenwich spent £8.8 million last year on Travelodge.”

“So huge amount of reports. I read the other day that there was a planning report done on the speed of a cricket ball.”

“There is no advantage to getting planning permission for 100% affordable housing.”

“Because it is temporary planning permission, the hope is it will go through much quicker.”

“When local authorities want to make stuff happen, it happens.”

GUEST RESOURCES

https://www.fusearchitects.co.uk

Previous Dave Hughes episode -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-hughes-the-developers-architect-design-grounded/id1750859336?i=1000676721440

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

How I Have a 100% Planning Approval Track Record Spanning 40 Years

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Full episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK8EUKolqqo

In this episode, Paul explains exactly how he has achieved and is maintaining a 100% track record of winning planning approval over the past 40 years. He shares how he learned to do this, how you can do the same and how to keep your knowledge current to further reduce the risk of refusal.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

If at first you do not succeed, appeal. Paul has done this many times and has never lost an appeal.
Take your time when putting together your plans. You need to do as much as you can to avoid getting a refusal on a site. Sometimes this can blight a site.
Educate yourself about planning. Paul did this partly by going to planning meetings and observing what went on out in the real world. Book learning only gets you so far.
Paul recommends qualifying as a Chartered Planning and Development surveyor like he did. He explains why.
Never assume you know everything. That is why Paul still works with planning consultants. But at the same time, he also double-checks everything himself.
Look at every little thing and think about how it applies to your site. That means keeping up with regulations, monitoring which planning applications are approved and which are denied and understanding why.
Be all over all of the details. Do the planner's job for them to make it easier for them to approve you than it is for them to refuse you.

BEST MOMENTS

“Having a planning strategy before you even start is a big part of how I've got a 100% planning permission track record.”

“You don't really want refusals on your sites …. sites with refusals can sometimes get a bit blighted.”

“A lot of those applications I've had to win at appeal.”

“Be super detailed. Reverse engineer everything.”

“Understand all of the things that might come up before they come up and address them at the application and design stage.”

“You do need to learn and understand quite a lot of this stuff well, as much of it as possible yourself, in order to spot the angles, the opportunities and the pitfalls at an early stage.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

Scorecard - https://scorecard.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/innovative-developments-that-provide-both-profit-and/id1750859336?i=1000672292005

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Adventures in Architecture - Creating Future Neighbourhoods - Cany Ash from Ash Sakula

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Here is a link to the full episode.

In this episode, Paul chats with Cany Ash, co-founder of Ash Sakula, a London-based, award-winning architectural studio known for its bold and innovative approach to design. Cany shares her journey, from her mother’s transformative experiments with spaces to shaping her vision for radically rethinking housing and neighbourhoods. Together, they explore how collaborative trust between architects, planners, and developers can spark real change, why isolated estates are a false economy and the transformative potential of "house-on-a-house” each with their own front door to the street.

Discover how Ash Sakula creates developments that enhance places physically and socially, and what’s needed to make this approach mainstream.

Follow Ash Sakula’s campaign, for Profitable Neighbourhoods: https://profitableneighbourhoods.co.uk/

#ArchitecturePodcast #FutureNeighbourhoods #AshSakula #UrbanDesign #CommunityBuilding

KEY TAKEAWAYS

When a council is truly invested in a project seemingly impossible issues are overcome. Resident-led transformation also moves fast.
Unless architects, planners and developers start trusting each other and truly work together things will not change.
The best developments enrich a place physically and socially.
Cany believes that building isolated housing estates when there is so much land elsewhere that can be revitalised is a false economy.
Developments need to make sense for all parties, the developers, residents and the local authority.
Right now, design codes and planning are far too restrictive.
Creating a Profitable Neighbourhood ‘Twin’: one house on top of another house, with each having a proper front door, makes development viable in far more places.

BEST MOMENTS

“The business of making stuff feels to me like a human right.”
“It was a real toggle of different house shapes, but it got more homes on the site.”
“Nothing ever comes from nowhere. There is a need to create the right compost for development and the right ambition.”
“The one thing we've got to stop doing is building house builder estates 3 roundabouts from the nearest pint of milk.”
“Create micro neighbourhoods inside larger neighbourhoods inside towns.”

EPISODE RESOURCES
www.profitableneighbourhoods.co.uk
https://www.ashsak.com
https://www.phoenixlewes.com/
https://lewishamsmallsites.co.uk/
https://archello.com/project/the-malings
https://www.lilac.coop

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

£1 Option Agreements

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

View the full episode on youtube here.

In this episode, Paul talks about one of his favourite ways to do land deals - £1 Option Agreements that enable you to effectively buy or control what happens to a piece of land for an investment of £1. If you think that sounds impossible, you are certainly not alone, but you´d be wrong. Paul and other developers have been doing exactly that for many, many years. That is how he does most of his deals.

Listen in and you will learn how to use agreements to control land that you do not currently have enough money to buy and do so by investing as little as £1 upfront.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

JD Rockefeller said, “Control everything without owning anything.”…which is exactly what land options allow you to do.
Option agreements provide you with the option to do something, without the obligation to actually do it.
When you don´t use options, the size of the deals you can do is limited by how much money you have.
The right type of option on a piece of land provides you with time to get planning permission. So, when it is time to pay the full price for the land you already know for sure that your development will go ahead.
If you don´t get planning permission, you are not legally bound to buy the land.
Importantly, options are also beneficial for landowners. Paul explains how.
You need to learn to use the right language to persuade landowners and land the deal.
It is possible for you to make money from effectively selling your agreement to another developer.
The deal must be properly worded and registered.
To make money from options you must understand what the true value of the land is.

BEST MOMENTS

“An option agreement is just a legal agreement that gives you the option to do something, but beautifully, not the obligation”

“I realized that I could control land. I could get an agreement to buy it, even if I didn't have enough money to buy it.”

“For the landowner, you will be typically going away trying to add value to their asset without it costing them a penny. So, from their point of view, there's no risk.”

“You can effectively sell on, assign your agreement to another buyer and you never have to complete on the deal.”

“I´ve never had a landowner even try to get out of an option agreement.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Generating Accurate Development Appraisals in Seconds Instead of Weeks with Henry Mayell of Viability

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:29:27 -0000

Watch the full episode on YouTube here

In this episode, Paul is joined by Henry Mayell, one of his business partners. Henry is the co-founder and COO of Viability, a software platform that enables homebuilders to quickly and accurately assess the viability of a potential development opportunity.

They discuss how Viability software enables developers to look at any site and quickly work out what type of homes, if any, can be profitably built on it. It can also be used to educate planners and legislators so they can quickly see how each of the additional things they ask for impacts the viability of the development. Henry also explains how Viability will help developers meet the new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Viability provides a step-by-step process and software to enable developers to very quickly produce an accurate development appraisal for any site. Once the relevant parameters have been fed in, the report takes seconds to generate.
Viability software can also be a good education tool. It enables policymakers, planners and developers to quickly assess the cost impact of any proposed regulation changes.
The software easily demonstrates to planners the impact each change they want has on costs and whether it is still viable to build on that site.
Viability uses real-world market data, so planners are not left suspecting that the developer is trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
Viability helps developers identify the right Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) for each project.
What materials you use should be an integral part of the design process.
Provided you choose the right type of MMC for each site and deploy it properly, MMC is not more expensive.
Viability also provides early stage BNG assessments, allowing developers to understand if the biodiversity in a specific site makes it unviable.

BEST MOMENTS

“Viability gives you an automated development appraisal … in seconds, rather than in days or weeks.”

“Ultimately, to deliver the homes, we need developers to find viable development opportunities.”

“It's actually about which MMC solution is suitable for your site and allows you to maximize its potential.”

“When planners try to demand everything, all that happens is things become unviable, and they don't get anything at all.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://viability.site

The Times article

https://geovation.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

The Biggest Mistake You Can Make in Property Development

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the Full Episode here.

This solo episode of the Inside Property Development Podcast is all about the biggest mistake developers make, which is being over-reliant on their consultants. This is a problem because it is not the job of your consultants to know and do everything that needs to be done to deliver your project on budget and on time. Paul explains why so many developers fall into that trap and how to avoid doing the same.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

When developers become overly reliant on their consultants, particularly architects and planning consultants, things can go very, very wrong.
When it comes to property development, consultants don´t know enough to be able to take care of everything.
Consultants have multiple clients, so it is unrealistic to expect them to prioritise you and chase things up to make sure they get done on time e.g. expecting your architect to oversee getting planning permission.
Developers need to see the big picture, and how everything fits together. They need to conduct the orchestra, which includes their consultants to make sure everything gets done properly and on time.
Be 100% clear about what each consultant will be doing for you.
You can hire a development consultant, but they are just going to do the things you can and should be doing yourself. Plus, they may not do it well.
You are always going to be more motivated than anyone else will be. After all, it´s your money that is on the line, not theirs.

BEST MOMENTS

“Property development is complex, there´s a lot of moving parts. I often liken it to 10-dimensional chess.”

“There are a lot of things that influence the success or not of a deal, and it is not any of the consultant's job to know about those things.”

“It's not the planning consultant's job to sort of negotiate the whole deal.”

“It's very rare to find a good development consultant, who knows and does everything … if they did, they would be doing it for themselves as a developer.”

“It is our job to understand and instruct and put together a really detailed document for our professional team.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Dave Hughes – The Developers Architect – Design Grounded in Viability and Affordability

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Dave Hughes of Fuse Architects to talk about the role architects play in the UK housing market, including why the way many of them work is holding back progress. Dave´s focus is on delivering affordable housing. He shares the challenges the sector faces and the innovative approaches they are using to overcome them, including temporary planning permission and modular housing.

They also discuss training for planning committee members, policy changes that would speed up the planning process, housing targets and overcoming the fear that is preventing the change that is needed.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Despite being well-trained a lot of UK architects are actually not that good at coming up with practical, liveable and deliverable designs and solutions.
Architects are just part of a team. But many see themselves as somehow especially important or more professional.
Often planners and policymakers ask for things without thinking about the negative impact delivering them will have. They don´t take a balanced approach.
At the moment planners and committees just think that all developers are greedy liars.
Even when you tick every planning box and meet every regulation too many planning committees are still not giving permission.
High land prices make many 50% affordable housing developments impossible to deliver.
Some councils are now giving temporary planning permission for modular housing.

BEST MOMENTS

“We only draw what we can build. We are very strict about buildability in our business.”

“Many planners and policymakers don't realize that, by asking and trying to demand everything, they actually end up with nothing.”

“I think one of the big issues in development generally, is viability.”

“A good committee is one that says - our policy, that we've all signed up to, says that they can do this thing, and therefore we have to say yes to it.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.fusearchitects.co.uk

https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk

https://boutiquemodern.co.uk

Jackie Weaver story - https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60374800

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Critiquing Kevin McCloud´s Evening Standard Article

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

Today, Paul explains why he thinks Kevin McCloud was wrong about the reasons behind the UK homebuilding market and model being broken. He breaks down the article paragraph by paragraph, sharing what he agrees with and what he doesn´t, including why.

Paul has built 7,000+ homes, won 3 Evening Standard House Building Awards and started his career working for one of the big PLC building firms. He has hands-on experience with what it takes to build houses in the UK, including passive housing. So, you can be sure he knows what he is talking about.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

House builders and developers are not the bad guys.
Costs have not remained the same, they have gone up at least 30% in just 3 years.
Without smaller housebuilders the UK´s housing crisis is never going to be solved.
Building homes is super complicated and high-risk. If things go wrong your profit is wiped out, which is why there are very few small house builders left.
In 1988, there were circa 12,500 smaller SME house builders, by 2017 only 2,500 remained.
Housing associations are not for profit, which gives them the latitude to take more risks and experiment.
Letting local councils add their standards to those that already exist will make things even more complex.
Land prices are the main issue.
Housing associations are not for profit and often have access to cheap or free land, which is why they can provide more for their home occupiers.

BEST MOMENTS

“Whilst I do agree with some of the stuff that Kevin says … a lot of it is just wrong.”

“We do need to make a profit. This is a super-risky, hard business.”

“Even if you abolished planning tomorrow and anyone could build anything, anywhere you would still never meet demand .”

RESOURCES

https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/kevin-mccloud-the-whole-housebuilding-market-and-model-is-broken-b1186346.html

https://www.hbf.co.uk/documents/6879/HBF_SME_Report_2017_Web.pdf

The Cobweb Model - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165188915000044

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

Finding Public SUPPORT For Property Development - Wyn Evans

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:39:17 -0000

Watch the full episode on YouTube here.

In this episode, Paul talks to Wyn Evans, a founding partner at Shared Voice and co-creator of the highly successful Just Build Homes movement. They discuss successfully navigating the planning process. As a former councillor and planner, Wyn knows why the planning process often fails. To address these issues, he and his team have developed innovative ways to engage the community in a positive way. This innovative approach means that when your project is considered for planning, local people support the project instead of opposing it.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Planning decisions are heavily influenced by politics. Councillors need votes, so if they think the majority is against development gaining permission is difficult.
Polls show that the majority of people actually support development.
Human nature means that those who are opposed to your development will attend any meetings. When councillors see this their perception is that the majority are opposed.
Talking to people about their housing aspirations fuels their desire for you to build more homes in their area.
Some older people with a NIMBY mindset can be persuaded by the fact their children are more likely to be able to afford to live nearby.
Many older people want to downsize, so point out that your development helps meet those needs.
Focus more on communication, rather than consultation.
Understand the pressure councillors are under and work to minimise that.
The new government is now pushing councils to approve more housing.
Once you have built, invite councillors to have a look.

BEST MOMENTS

“For the last 40 years, planning policies have all been driven by the attitudes of the public.”

“If 100 people are supporting a scheme, regardless of how many objections there are, it is much easier (for a councillor) to support that scheme.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://sharedvoice.co.uk

https://justbuildhomes.co.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment

What is The Grey Belt and Can it Solve The Housing Crisis?!

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks about something most people have never heard of – The Grey Belt. He explains what it is, the part it could play in solving the UK´s current housing crisis and how property developers can take advantage of this emerging opportunity. Paul has recently developed a grey belt plot, so knows how to get planning permission for this type of land.

His recent experience provides insights into how the government is likely to loosen planning regulations so that more of the grey belt can be developed. A policy idea Labour is pursuing as a way to ease the UK´s current housing crisis.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The grey belt is essentially a part of the green belt.
Not all green belt land is beautiful fields and forests, some parts are dumping grounds or covered in derelict buildings. These ugly abandoned areas are potentially grey belt land.
Paul recently created a development on what was green belt land full of derelict buildings.
The NPPF review includes finding ways to better utilise grey belt land. During the episode, Paul shares some of the development exclusions that might be taken away.
Even if a site has been built on previously some factors are still likely to stop future development. Paul explains what some of them are.

BEST MOMENTS

“This (green belt) place was absolutely diabolical. It had lain vacant and derelict for years and years, covered in horrible old buildings.”

“There's an interesting question, around grey belt - To what extent does remoteness and things like that come into the equation?”

“Ideally close to existing settlements, ideally a bit messy, so it's not farms or fields or forests.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment/videos

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Innovative Developments That Provide Both Profit and Value Sean Branton

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks with Sean Branton about how his 3 days a week of work experience on building sites led to him becoming an award-winning developer entrepreneur. Despite not getting much formal education at school Sean became obsessed with educating himself, which is why he has been able to solve problems that have stopped others in their tracks.

He shares his entrepreneurial journey and explains how he is still getting deals done, despite the current market conditions making it difficult for SMEs to do so. Including, garden grabbing, and the pros, and cons of buying sites with planning and doing build-only deals with landowners.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Forget fighting with 30 other people for land on Rightmove. Instead, do land studies to find something viable fewer people know about.
Because sites with planning are in the public domain, they are very rarely cheap. So, the margins are often far too tight.
You have to build extremely fast to make a site with consent work financially.
Buying a site with planning is risky especially if prices happen to stop going up. Then, there is no way to cover any overspend and you can lose your entire business.
Feed your site pipeline. If you don´t you will lose key members of your team and replacing them will be very hard.
You need a good manager on the ground who can foresee problems, deal with them, and manage the technical stuff.
Surround yourself with the right people and get a mentor. That will save you years.
A lot of people with ADHD have a high tolerance for risk, which is why quite a few property developers have the condition. Often, they are also addicted to work.
Make self-care and continually educating yourself priority

BEST MOMENTS

“Our best and most success is always direct to vendor.”

“I don't possess much talent, but I'm persistent, and I've got a much higher purpose and drive than other people.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/sean_branton

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Delivering exceptional results for landowners and partners with Marios Stratis

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Marios Stratis a property investor and developer who has worked in the industry for 23 years and is one of his students. He and his team have a reputation for sourcing land and buildings most others would not find or be willing to tackle, and then turning them into unique and profitable developments.

Including doing so in conservation areas, with heritage properties and sites of archaeological interest. He shares his experience of flipping, HMOs, refinancing deals, handling landowners and much more. As well as sharing his take on recent legislation changes. Personal development has played a big role in Marios´ success, so he discusses that too.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Personal development is a vital component of business success.
Mindset and mental health matter.
Raise your vibration, frequency, or energy. When you do people are more comfortable and open-minded around you.
Put in place a good system for managing and monitoring your leads.
You need to build a strong, but balanced relationship with the landowner.
Collaborate with professionals who have experience in the area and the type of scheme.
Invest in your health, Marius has done so recently to reduce inflammation in his body, which has made him feel much better and become far more productive.
The government needs to help landlords more, if they don´t they won´t create more homes, which is what is needed.

BEST MOMENTS

“I proved it to myself when I was a trader how important vibration was.”

“If they're (the landowners) difficult during the honeymoon period, you've got no chance when it comes to selling it, building, or completing on it.

“It just comes down to the money pool at the end of the day.”

“You've basically taught us everything we needed to know from start to finish.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marios-stratis-57397511a

https://www.stratishomes.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-vs-Force-Determinants-Behavior/dp/B002SQ22L4

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Overcoming the Challenges of Modern Home Building with Trevor Thorn

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks with Trevor Thorn the founder of Thorn Homes. He was a self-employed roofer, who became a property developer and established a roofing firm. Trevor uses private equity funding instead of borrowing from the banks, he explains why and how he does this.

They also discuss meeting the challenges that the current planning system in the UK throws up, tax planning, net zero builds, new building regs, and modular construction techniques. Trevor also touches on how he uses LandInsight, private investors, and certain FMB products.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Educate yourself about tax and VAT. Not getting your company structure and deals right can cost you dearly.
If you need to get someone to build for you choose the right person, which means being prepared to pay them the right money.
Borrowing from banks has downsides, including the danger of having development funding pulled before the project is complete. Paul and Trevor share several examples during the episode of companies that lost everything because of this.
If you do borrow from banks, don´t just use one company. You are putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Even when you buy a plot with planning the margins are incredibly tight, so costs must be controlled, which is why Trevor builds his properties using his own team.
Planning now takes at least 12 months in most parts of the UK. Allow at least 27 months to get something built.
Managing landowner's expectations and educating them on how it all works is part of the art of getting off-market deals done on sensible terms,
The Federation of Small Builders (FMB) offers some powerful products developers can use. Including a warranty that the banks like and insurance.

BEST MOMENTS

“I don't fund anything with banks.”

“Your business should be more wealthy than you are as a person, because that´s ultimately, where your income comes from.”

“If there is bad news, just deliver it, you can´t hide it.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.thornhomes.co.uk

https://www.fmb.org.uk

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning, and development and a 100% successful track record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from laboring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

From Property Student to £1.3 Million Profit Deals with Sadun

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks to Sadun, who is one of Paul´s highly successful students. Sadun started out by doing small refurbs before transitioning to auction flipping and land deals. On his first land deal, he made a profit of £1.3 million. Sadun explains how he did that with the help of Paul´s training and LandTech.

Sadun also shares what he is up to today, including how he has found 1,400 potential deals to pursue in London and how he gets planning there even for a property that has been turned down in the past.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Having commercial properties in the mix helps to create a rental income that covers your monthly overheads.
Putting in an offer before the auction date can land you good deals.
Don´t get desperate and take on something that does not feel right.
The planning process is full of surprises. Sometimes even when a project ticks all of the boxes it will not get approved.
You have to see the full picture so that you can conduct the orchestra of people who work for you to deliver what you need. How you instruct your architect matters.
Spending a few thousand on a planning consultant and architect who both know the area and how things really work before putting together your plans will save you a lot.
Before contracting your architect for the full project get them to prepare a small sketch. This will weed out anyone who does not have the necessary vision and skill.
Before you buy, understand what your plan B is. Make sure there is still enough money in the project even if things don´t go well.
The way councils think changes over time and often the planning decision has a lot to do with local politics. Sometimes you have to wait for the right moment.
There are still plenty of opportunities, including in every part of London.

BEST MOMENTS

“You still need the knowledge and experience to know what you're looking for and just decipher what you're actually seeing.”

“Optimise and maximise everything you do.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

What is The REAL Return on Investment in Property?

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks to Kris Carpenter, who is a property developer from Leeds. He explains how he went from getting his Master's in psychology to joining the Army, leaving and building a big property portfolio through a JV. Before becoming a fully-fledged property developer, consultant and land trader.

By sharing his journey Kris provides you with practical and up-to-date strategies you can use to avoid the pitfalls and overcome the unavoidable challenges. If you are an ambitious property entrepreneur this is a must listen episode.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Take advantage of downturns.
Tax and exit planning are important. Think long-term and understand the pros and cons of each option.
Take advantage of tax breaks, but never assume they won´t disappear. The government continually changes the rules and taxes that opportunity out of existence.
Resist the temptation to pursue a bad deal because you are desperate to have something on the go. Wait until you find the right opportunity.
Kris now develops projects that he holds onto and uses to generate income. He no longer sells everything on.
Land deals where you get the planning, and then sell it to a builder are lucrative.
Look at syndicated loans.
If you are just starting out, spend 6 months learning about it and get a job in the industry before you invest.
Get good at raising funds.
Understand every aspect of your business model but build a team to get it all done.
There's nearly as much work on a small deal as there is on a big one.
Diversifying smooths out cash flow and protects you from downturns.

BEST MOMENTS

“Use the skills of a developer to create your own investments.”

“Property development is so complicated that you need to be world-class at one aspect of it..”

“The key skill is being able to build a team”

“It does not matter how rich you are, you will run out of money in this game.”

“Your ability to market and sell yourself and raise funds is key because the banks won't give you the money you need.”

ABOUT THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristoffercarpenter

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

How Much is Land Actually Worth - w/ Kevin Ellis

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 09:12:55 -0000

To watch the full episode on YouTube, click here

In this episode, Paul is joined by Kevin Ellis, the founder of The Land and New Homes Network. After just 8 years he is working with over 100 UK estate agents across 450+ locations. Helping them to pull plots of land that are owned by different owners into a package of land that is big enough for a developer to build on (land assembly) and finding the right developer.

Kevin explains how land assembly works, how to spot opportunities, and how to deal with unrealistic landowner expectations. They also discuss why builders do not bank land and the issues that are stifling including affordable, net zero and sustainable housing in developments.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Land assembly is the process of combining two or more small adjacent plots into a single parcel. Plots that are then big enough to be developed.
Estate agents are in the perfect position to spot land assembly opportunities.
Off-market deals are a good way for small developers and builders to source the land to provide good-quality housing.
Often, explaining how much the houses will cost to build is the best way to manage landowners' unrealistic expectations.
Fully assessing not only what the land can be used for but also whether there actually will be a market for it by the time the houses are complete is essential.
Agents collaborating with developers to source and develop land is a huge win-win for them and the community they are working in.

BEST MOMENTS

“Land is literally the lifeblood of the industry. Without land, there is no development”

“The amount of people who just don´t understand land economics just amazes me.”

“Educating landowners is actually a massive part of the process.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.lnhnetwork.co.uk/

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Q&A - Derisking and Managing Building Material Shortages

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 23:00:00 -0000

To watch the full episode on YouTube, click here

In this Q&A episode, Paul looks at preparing yourself for a situation where building materials suddenly become difficult to buy and cost a lot more than budgeted. He also shares the most effective way to derisk a project and explains what the biggest challenges are when building sustainably.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/millbank-referral

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Using a standardized design makes it far easier for you to find an alternative building material and apply that change across your project.

Design in alternatives, so that you have a potential solution ready to implement if a material suddenly becomes unavailable.

Fixed price contracts are not always a cast iron way of avoiding rising bill costs. Sometimes enforcing the contract when the price of building materials soars can lead to the contractor going bankrupt. In the end, you hire another contractor and still have to pay more than planned.

Paul never buys a site with planning permission. During the episode, he explains why and how this helps him to derisk his developments.
The more sustainably you build the more it costs. But soon new standards will mean everyone builds this way, which will level things up again.

BEST MOMENTS

“We had the biggest build cost increases, since WWII”

“Property development is not some easy get rich quick thing where it always goes the right way, very often it goes the wrong way.”

“Find 100% off-market development opportunities, then negotiate and secure them on sensible terms, and add maximum planning value to them.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Sustainable Development and Navigating the UK´s Broken Planning System with Heinz Richardson

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul talks to the well-known architect Heinz Richardson who was also a director of Jestico + Whiles where he worked for 33 years. They discuss sustainable development, climate change, social justice and why the UK´s planning system is broken.

They also discuss how architects and developers can work more closely together to improve the housing stock and overcome the problems that are holding the UK back.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/millbank-referral

KEY TAKEAWAYS

For Heinz there has always been a strong connection between architects, the social environment and climate.

Jestico +Whiles pioneered the employee-owned company structure for architects. Heinz explains how and why they went down that route.

The House for the Future at The Museum of Life was built 25+ years ago using only building materials sourced within a 25-mile radius.

With climate change, we have reached the point where we can´t stop it, now we need to work on mitigating it and dealing with the effects.

Reusing what we have already extracted is vital.

Despite his 30+ years’ experience Heinz was refused planning permission for his hyper-eco-friendly family home, which when built won awards. The planning system is broken.

Even in conservative areas, people are open to and want innovative housing.

Some planning authorities are becoming more discerning, but it is still hard to shift perceptions and deal with prejudices.
Homes don´t need to be ostentatious to be desirable.

BEST MOMENTS

“John Wiles devised this fantastic scoring system that was brilliant. It measured people's contribution to the practice in 10 different fields.”

“If you do something, you should be able to disassemble it and use it again.”

“The irony of this refusal is that this was the 1st time I’d ever been refused planning in my whole career.” (planning permission for his family home)

“A lot of housing is quantum; it is about maths in the end.”

RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/heinzr54/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heinz-richardson-2b804aa/

https://museum.wales/media/5039/hotf.pdf

Amory Lovins - https://rmi.org/about/office-locations/amory-private-residence/

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Property Design Q&A

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode here.

In this episode, Paul answers people´s property design questions. He reveals the biggest trends in housing design, how and why property design is changing, and the impact technology is having. During the episode, he covers some of the pros and cons of building with modular components and the influence recent legislation changes are having. Paul talks about why smaller developers really have the edge over the mass housing builders.

He also talks about his Building With Nature experience, focusing on how it has impacted the way he designs his developments. Within this, he shares sharing how to balance creativity with functionality.

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

How buildability plays a role within property design, for example, whether it is sustainable, easy to construct and cost-effective to build that way.
The push for sustainability is having a growing impact on modern property design.
How building in a way that connects people with nature is a win-win.
You need to start with functionality. If the property does not work for people, they won´t buy it.
Creativity comes second to functionality and getting too creative can easily lead to going hugely over budget.
Aim to build better but do it in a way that still looks good.

BEST MOMENTS

“Smaller developers have a massive opportunity to push the envelope and create much better, bespoke, well-designed stuff.”

“The technology around building quickly, efficiently, economically and in a high-performing, sustainable way will impact design.”

“The best architects would actually quite like to be developers because that's how they get their stuff created.”

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial

Green Belt Myths and Government Incompetence: Andrew Black on UK Property Development

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode on YouTube here

Sponsored by LandTech:

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

Paul is joined by Andrew Black, from land buying to planning, Andrew shares his journey through the ups and downs of the property market. He talks about the challenges faced by developers, the intricacies of the planning system, and the importance of SMEs in the industry. He also discusses green belt land and the many problems planners have faced due to government mismanagement of planning laws and regulations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Experience in both land buying and planning is crucial for success in property development, as understanding the technical aspects and being able to negotiate deals are essential.
SME developers play a vital role in the industry, offering unique approaches and flexibility that larger developers often lack, but face significant challenges in competing and surviving.
The planning system in the UK is under resourced and often inefficient, with frequent policy changes and a lack of understanding between government, local authorities, and developers.
Green Belt development is a contentious issue, but not all Green Belt land is pristine countryside, and well designed developments can often actually improve previously developed Green Belt sites.
Infrastructure provision is often disconnected from housing development, leading to public resistance and a need for better integration of development and community facilities.
The government's approach to planning and housing has been inconsistent and often ineffective, with multiple policy changes and a failure to implement recommendations from industry reviews.

BEST MOMENTS

"It's not an easy game. It's really not, which is why so many SME developers have disappeared and they're disappearing all the time."

"The Green Belt, if you just think about the Green Belt as an entity, it's got the best spin doctors, PR spin doctors that have ever been, hasn't it?"

"I think it's more entrance into the market going to help that SMEs doing stuff differently. Seeing SMEs evolve, become bigger builders. I think that's all helpful."

"There are some really talented planners out there. If you're a local authority planner, imagine you've got a hundred cases on, ten of them are nice developments, right? Ninety of them are clearing conditions."

"This is the worst government for planning and housing I've ever seen in my 40th year now. I mean, they've just literally been off the scale diabolical."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development, to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Property Development Planning | Why Collaboration and Preparation are Essential

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode on YouTube here

In this episode, Paul answers questions on property development planning. From easier ways to get planning approved to why collaboration is key in planning development, Paul shares his thoughts and knowledge to help guide listeners in difficult planning situations.

Sponsored by LandTech

Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

To improve things for everyone in property development, we need to start working more collaboratively with local authority planning departments
Tension often builds between developers and councils because of the time and money pressures both must contend with.
Ensure you know all of the planning policies and related regulations, you can then reverse engineer what needs to be designed to meet the rules.
It pays to be as prepared as possible for any question at the planning stage, to prevent issues further down the line in the planning process.
Balancing conflicting policies and knowing what weight to apply to each area is a learned skill specific to the developer and the area they are working in.
You can make decisions based on research and analysis, having a good team and experience helps but there is still always a risk due to the amount of unknowns in planning.

BEST MOMENTS

“Local authorities are under massive pressure themselves are severely under-resourced”

“We need the very best professional teams”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Demystifying Development with Jonny Britton | How AI is Transforming the Property Industry

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:15:00 -0000

Listen to the full episode on YouTube here

Paul is joined by Jonny Britton, CEO of Landtech, to explore the challenges and innovations in the property development industry. From the origins of Landtech to the future of AI in property tech, this episode explores the evolving landscape of land acquisition, planning, and development. Discover how technology is reshaping the industry and why collaboration might be the key to solving the housing crisis.

Sponsored by LandTech: Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

LandTech's journey began with a desire to make land information more accessible, evolving from a self-build focus to a comprehensive tool for developers of all sizes.
The planning system's inefficiencies and political nature often hinder development, highlighting the need for more stable, long-term housing policies.
Permitted Development rights, while offering some benefits, can lead to low quality housing solutions and don't always create the best living environments.
The misconception about greenbelt land and the challenges of brownfield development prove that we need to develop better public understanding of the development process.
Financial viability is a crucial factor in development that is often misunderstood, with many failing to grasp the risks and challenges that developers face.
LandTech is expanding its services to include development appraisal tools and funding assistance, aiming to streamline the entire development process.
The integration of AI and large language models in property tech could revolutionise how data is interpreted and used in the development industry.
Collaboration between developers, local communities, and policymakers is essential for creating better housing solutions and addressing the housing crisis effectively.

BEST MOMENTS

"The opaque nature of land and planning, you know has kind of led to it being so cut throat and I think that hasn't helped developers at all because the worst stories are the ones that get out there."

"Personally, I don't like a lot of it. I think very often you end up just polishing turds, making it easier to just convert old buildings that might not be that attractive."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnybritton

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Building a Sustainable Future: Challenges and Solutions in Housing Development"

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:10:00 -0000

Listen to the full episode on YouTube here

Paul discusses the major hurdles facing house building developers today. From land scarcity to planning complexities, labour shortages to rising costs, Paul paints a vivid picture of an industry under pressure. But it's not all doom and gloom – he also touches on sustainable development practices and the potential for collaboration to create better homes and communities.

Sponsored by LandTech: Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Land availability and planning issues are the two biggest barriers to growth for developers, accounting for about 40% each of reported problems.
The planning system has become increasingly complex and under-resourced, leading to significant delays and hindering housing development.
Labour shortages due to inadequate training and apprenticeships have made construction more challenging in recent years.
Rising costs of materials and procurement issues have impacted the viability of many development projects.
New environmental standards and regulations, while necessary, add further cost and complexity to the development process.
Sustainable development and building with nature are becoming increasingly important in the industry.
Collaboration between various stakeholders is crucial for creating better homes and communities.
The podcast aims to bring together experts from across the industry to discuss solutions for creating much-needed housing in the right way.

BEST MOMENTS

"Land and planning are the problems and they always have been. Now, if you've got the right land and the right planning, any finance challenges tends to go away."

"Planning in particular is now worse in my opinion than it's ever been, certainly in my 40 years in the business, so the complexity of it is off the scale."

"Building stuff didn't use to be as difficult, actually. If you were a good builder and you knew what you were doing then building was the easy bit, to a large extent. Now, even that's not so easy."

"I'm now very much into super sustainable development and building with nature so I've been applying all of this for the last few years to all of my developments."

"We'll learn together how we can collaborate rather than fight and by working together we can all help create better places, spaces and homes and a much more beautiful world."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multi-million pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

The Hippie Developer: Sustainable Growth and Industry Challenges

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:05:00 -0000

Listen to the full episode on YouTube here

In this episode, Paul talks about his remarkable career in property development. From his humble beginnings as a construction site labourer to becoming a successful developer, Paul shares his valuable experience, revealing the challenges facing the industry, the importance of sustainable development, and why Paul considers himself a "hippie property developer."

Sponsored by LandTech: Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paul's early struggles with ADD and adoption shaped his drive and work ethic, ultimately contributing to his success in property development.
The importance of understanding land and planning is crucial for successful property development, more so than just construction knowledge.
Option agreements can be a powerful tool for developers to control land without significant upfront capital, allowing for bigger deals.
The 2008 financial crisis nearly wiped out Paul's business, highlighting the importance of careful financial management and choosing the right lending partners.
Property development has become increasingly difficult over the years, with the number of SME house builders drastically declining since 1988.
Sustainable development and working with nature are important, but financial viability must also be considered to incentivise developers.
The role of a property developer is like a conductor of an orchestra, overseeing various aspects and experts to create successful projects.
Building relationships and working with the right people is crucial in property development, as it's challenging to do everything alone.

BEST MOMENTS

"I'm a bit of a weird one because I'm a sort of hippie property developer, but I'm living in the real world so I know what it takes to get deals done."

"The problem is, you know, when you build cheap, you build shit, you create shit, the whole environment goes to shit, people start acting like shit, and everything goes to f*cking shit."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk

Expert Tips for SME Developers: Solving the UK Housing Crisis

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Watch the full episode on YouTube here

Join Paul Higgs, an experienced property developer with 40 years of experience, as he launches the "Inside Property Development" podcast. This first episode sets the stage for an insightful journey into the complexities of the housing market and property development. Paul aims to bridge gaps, foster collaboration, and unravel the challenges facing the industry. With a focus on supporting SME developers, this podcast promises to be an essential resource for anyone interested in creating better homes and spaces!

Sponsored by LandTech: Source faster. Plan faster. Work faster. LandTech provides software to streamline the property development process and get the right deals done.

Claim your free trial of LandInsight: https://land.tech/ipd-free-trial

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The housing market faces significant challenges, including affordability issues and a complex planning system.
Collaboration between all stakeholders in property development is crucial for solving industry problems.
SME developers and smaller house builders are declining due to the increasing complexity of the planning system.
Paul aims to provide insights from various industry professionals to improve understanding and cooperation.
Paul emphasises the need to support and train SME developers to navigate the current challenging environment.
The show will explore ways to create good quality, sustainable housing in the right locations.
Understanding different perspectives within the industry is key to overcoming confrontational attitudes.

BEST MOMENTS

"I'm really interested in helping get the housing crisis solved. The way to do that, I believe, is to get inside, behind and all around property development to understand how it really works and therefore what the problems are and how we can all solve them together."

"There shouldn't actually be any sides in this. I believe we should all be working together in order to help get good housing and commercial space as well and places and spaces created."

"Just being a good builder was no longer and still is no longer good enough. You also now have to be an absolute expert on planning and getting through all of the Red tape and complications that you have to deal with nowadays."

"We'll learn together how we can collaborate rather than fight and by working together we can all help create better places, spaces and homes and a much more beautiful world."

"I'm going to be talking to developers of all sizes and all of the other people involved in the process."

ABOUT THE HOST

Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track-record in winning planning consents.

CONTACT METHOD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk