The 5 best property development blogs to read in 2022

There is a wealth of useful information online about property development. As blogs continue to grow, branch out and evolve, they are targeting niches within the property industry. The ones we have collected below are some of the best quality, most interesting finds on the internet.

These contain useful strategies and stories and are regularly updated. Not only are they insightful, but they make for some great reads, too!

1. Learn more about the life of a first-time landlord at Property Investment Project

Designed with UK residential buy-to-let landlords in mind, this blog begins as a series of humorous and insightful posts about the author’s experiences as a first-time landlord but has evolved into more of a general property development site.

It includes valuable advice on selling land with planning permission and how to value your land.

2. Develop your legal knowledge with the Landlord Law Blog

Focused specifically on teaching you all the legal things you need to know about tenancy, renting, selling land and property letting, the ‘Landlord Law Blog’ has developed enormously over the last few years and ties in with author Tess Shepperson’s professional membership website. (Although you can still view the blog for free.)

3. Get creative with Houzz for the interior designer

While not strictly a blog, this discussion site is ideal for both the experienced and the newbie interior designer alike. When it comes to selling property, there are few quicker ways to increase value and kerb appeal than with an interior redesign.

With this discussion page, you can get first-hand advice from other interior designers and ask direct questions to receive almost instant responses.

4.Progressive Property Blog for strategy and advice on buying, letting, selling and investing

Designed with both the aspiring property entrepreneur and the veteran investors alike in mind, this blog offers interesting and easy to understand advice on everything to do with property. Managed by a dedicated team, it features articles by the company’s founders, the company’s trainers, and even some special guests.

5. NFC Homes for topical news and advice on selling land and land valuation

We couldn’t forget our own blog pages in a post about the best blogs for property development! Our easy-to-understand blog posts contain all the relevant news and tips you need to navigate the property sphere.

It includes detailed information about selling land to a developer, gaining planning permission on land, selling land with planning permission, how to value land and much more.

No matter where you are in your property development career, NFC Homes is here to help. You don’t need to be an expert to succeed in the property sphere.

If you’re in possession of land you’d like to sell, contact us today and we’ll organise a free, no-obligation quote.

Can you secure planning permission for new homes on a flood plain?

Before you even think about trying to obtain planning permission – and before you give serious thought to how the new developments would hypothetically shape up – you need to know whether they can be built in areas at risk of flooding.

Can homes be built in areas that are at risk of flooding?

The answer to this question is yes, as The National Planning Policy Framework dictates that these homes should be built away from the areas most vulnerable to flooding, with a proper system in place to counteract potential floods that don’t include the displacement of water to a different area.

How can I assess my land’s flood plain risk?

Before asking for planning permission, you need to assess the risk of your flood plain. This can be done by comparing your land against the Environment Agency’s Flood Map for Planning, which divides up the different areas of the UK.

If your land is a Flood Zone 1 site, there is a low risk of flooding. This continues up to Flood Zone 3, which has a high risk of flooding each year and can contain areas of land such as the Functional Flood Plain – this is where water is stored when floods do occur. Needless to say, if your property is within Flood Zone 3, obtaining planning permission would be extremely difficult.

How can I ask for planning permission on land at risk of floods?

Securing planning permission for areas at risk of floods is difficult. Sequential tests must be carried out before submitting permission.

For example, Flood Zone 3 areas can only be used if there aren’t suitable examples of Flood Zone 1 or 2 areas that pass the Sequential test.

Therefore, when asking for planning permission on Flood Zone 3 sites, you must have clear evidence for the necessity of housing on this land, with examples of safety measures you intend to install. These measures will be tested as part of the process.

Are there any alternatives to asking for planning permission?

After reading the above, you may now be understanding the headaches involved in having to ask for planning permission when building homes on areas of land at risk of flooding. This is in addition to the ordinary headaches when asking for planning permission in normal circumstances, which can outweigh its added value.

Trying to acquire ordinary planning permission can be an expensive, time-consuming process. You can hold development off for months whilst waiting to hear of the outcome with no guarantees, and throughout this time, it’s only you who’s placed at risk.

With the added risk that flood-prone properties add, you may be wondering about any alternatives. The main alternative is that you can sell your land to a developer. As soon as the sale has gone through, you’re stripped of all the hassle.

How much is my land worth?

You may be sitting back now wondering how to value your land so that you can understand how much you could sell it for. At NFC Homes, we make this process easy. You can contact us directly via our website, email or by calling us, and our team of experts will provide you with a free, no-obligation quote.

With more than 15 years of experience delivering over 1500 residential and commercial property developments across the UK, we can offer you guidance throughout the whole process.

Can I develop my land in an AONB?

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an area of land which has been protected by law in order to enhance, preserve and conserve its natural beauty. The areas are selected based on the significant value of their landscape and are deemed precious enough to be safeguarded for the national interest.

As set out in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act), AONBs are assessed and designated by Natural England and various authorities and organisations are responsible for the management of these areas.

AONBs in the UK

There are 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK, including areas in Cornwall, the North Pennines and the Dee Valley. AONBs can be found in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Scotland have their own similar system.

Areas of Natural Beauty can range from ancient woodlands and picturesque villages to moorlands and rolling meadows. In November 2020, the UK government announced plans to create more national parks and designate more areas as AONBs in their 25-year environment plan.

What constitutes an AONB?

In order to be designated as an AONB, an area must demonstrate a range of unique attributes which are of importance to the public and the environment. Whether an area meets the criteria is the responsibility of Natural England. The criteria for natural beauty include:

- Scenic quality

- Relative tranquillity

- Cultural heritag

- Landscape quality

- Distance from housing

- Distinctive geology, habitats or species

There are multiple types of protected sites and areas, including AONBs, the heritage coast, National Parks and SSSIs. All of them have strict criteria for planning permission to be granted.

What makes an AONB different?

Once an application for planning permission has been submitted for an AONB, the relevant planning authority will make the decision on whether or not to grant it.

The decision can also be taken by the Secretary of State and any proposals must demonstrate regard for conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area.

Compared to brownfield sites, gaining planning permission for a development in an AONB is a significantly longer, more complicated process.

Permitted Developments on AONBs

As AONBs are protected by law, property development rights are reduced, but it is not impossible.

With increasing pressure to find space for housing and developments, there are cases where developments have been constructed on AONBs. It is crucial that any planned development has been discussed with local planning authorities and that the application demonstrates respect for its natural environment.

When permission is granted, the development should be sensitively located and designed to minimise the impact on the environment. It is also important to consider ways in which the development could protect and enhance biodiversity and promote the conservation of habitats.

Can you ever get permission to build in an AONB?

In general, gaining planning permission for major development is very rare, and each AONB must have a management plan which is reviewed every five years. Even when installing utility services like cables or making a new public access route, a Local Authority must consider how it will affect an AONB.

If a development may have a significant impact on the local environment, it is important to consult Natural England about the planning proposal. The framework regarding development on AONBs also suggests that the scale and extent of developments should be limited.

Exceptional circumstances for developments

Though planning permission is harder to obtain in an Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty, if the developer can prove the need and genuine benefit of the project, there are cases where permission can be granted.

In some cases, like the Highfield Farm, Tetbury case which gained national attention after being brought to the high court, development was approved on greenfield land due to the need for homes in the area.

Regulations concerning AONBs

According to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF), planning permission should be refused for major developments in AONBs unless there are exceptional circumstances where applications are deemed to be in the interests of the public.

In article 177, the policy sets out that when considering developing on an AONB, the impact on the local economy, landscape and environment should be assessed as well as the need for development in the area.

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