The land manager’s top priorities: quality and quantity
Land managers are coming under growing pressure. Increasing efficiency is now a major concern. Sourcing high-quality sites is getting harder and the Government still wants to add 300,000 residential homes alone within the next five to 10 years.
Finding sites that match client criteria, and accurately assessing the risks and rewards associated with the acquisition of each means the sourcing and collation of a significant amount of data.
More often than not, it’s harder to make dedicated research time truly effective because these key insights are spread across several websites like The Environment Agency, the Land Registry, and various local and county authorities.
Inaccurate data causes delays, costs money and damages reputations
The speed at which you can source and appraise multiple sites and present your findings in a clear, persuasive and well-researched board pack is critical to your success.
However, speed cannot be a substitute for accuracy. One of the most time-consuming aspects of the role is making sure the data you’re using is up-to-date and was checked for accuracy before it became public.
Cross-referencing and double-checking facts and figures across multiple websites really shouldn’t be a necessary evil in the 21st century. It’s a massive efficiency drain.
But scattered and potentially out of date datasets are often something simply to be factored into your day, slowing down the efficiency of your pipeline. Imagine having data at your fingertips that would help you:
- Increase opportunities – source sites on and off market quickly
- Get at-a-glance context – assess sites, uncover hazards, investigate planning restrictions
- Access data easily – target key information from one place
- Directly compare the plausibility of different sites
- Present key data, such as utilities, all in one clear map
How to reduce risk and release potential
Efficiency gains can only be made when you have access to all the information, all in one place. There, you can see what’s viable and what you can reject instantly.
When you can assess land accurately, eliminate bad sites, and move forward with the best, you keep your pipeline filled with viable deals.
Overall, when your reputation relies on your ability to secure a certain number of deals, ways of reducing the number of hours spent on research is key but can’t be bought at the expense of accuracy.
