The Outline Planning Trap
Securing £1.9M More at Sale by Thinking Ahead
The Challenge
“We’ve got outline planning permission, but the offers from developers are disappointing. Are we missing something?”
This concern was voiced by a landowner who had invested considerable time and resources in securing outline planning permission for their site. After years of promotion through the local plan and a lengthy planning process, they finally had permission in hand—but the offers from developers weren’t matching their expectations.
The landowner faced a common dilemma: accept what seemed like undervalued offers or risk further delays by starting a new planning process with no guarantee of a better outcome. Neither option was appealing after years of investment in the site’s promotion.
The Solution
We flipped the script by providing enough detail in the outline permission to give purchasers confidence they could secure reserved matters without surprises. Our LVA Method™ identified the optimal unit mix, layout efficiencies, and market positioning that would appeal to both planners and purchasers.
Rather than leaving potential buyers to spot ways to optimise value—which, quite frankly, they often don’t—we created a value roadmap that removed uncertainty from the equation. Each house builder approaches sites differently, leading to wildly varying bids that rarely reflect true potential.
Our approach involved:
Enhanced Parameter Plans
Creating more detailed parameter plans that still maintained flexibility while demonstrating optimal value configuration
Market-Led Design Principles
Establishing design principles based on actual market demand rather than generic planning requirements
Value-Focused Supporting Documentation
Providing supporting documentation that highlighted value opportunities without revealing proprietary methodology
Risk Mitigation Strategy
Identifying and addressing potential reserved matters risks before they became objections
The Results
The new approach transformed the project:
The Takeaway
“If you want top dollar, don’t make them guess what the dollars are for.”
This case study demonstrates the power of thinking beyond simply securing outline permission to considering how that permission will be perceived and valued by potential purchasers. By applying the LVA Method™ to create a value roadmap rather than just a planning permission, we transformed the site’s marketability and value.
As the landowner remarked after receiving our report, “We thought we were selling a permission, but what we were really selling was confidence in future value.”
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