Kingsmere under construction aerial Kingsmere under construction aerial

Land

Countryside delivers enduring value for all our stakeholders whilst creating successful places. We succeed because we work collaboratively with landowners, their agents and advisers, local authorities and local communities. 

Our skills and experience in place making receive a positive response from planning authorities which means we can achieve planning consents where others may not succeed. 

A highly skilled and experienced place maker 

Countryside’s success in creating quality residential developments and major residential-led schemes has given us a reputation that sets it apart from its competitors. We have promoted and delivered successful new places with homes of exceptional quality for over 60 years and have received more Housing Design Awards than any other developer 

Delivery routes  

Countryside deliver our new homes through a number of different acquisition routes, including: 

1.    Strategic land and major project opportunities managed by our Strategic Land and Major Projects Team.  

  • Strategic Land  = Large scale greenfield opportunities via option agreements and STP
  • Major projects = Via all  forms of contractual terms, focused on, but not restricted to, brownfield and regeneration opportunities

2.    Conditional or unconditional basis for sites that are both more immediately developable or for smaller strategic opportunities.

  • Sites capable of accommodating more than 50 units or larger than 4 acres in size. 
  • Brownfield or greenfield opportunities considered.

3.    Working in partnership through development and joint venture agreements with land owners, companies, government bodies and housing associations to regenerate brownfield sites.

We believe that we are one of the most effective and successful strategic land developers in the UK having promoted and delivered sustainable new communities on strategic sites for more than 40 years.  

Dedicated team 

Our specialist team provides the land, planning and technical skills required to successfully identify, promote and deliver quality residential developments. 

We achieve this by carefully masterplanning our developments with an emphasis on  landscape-led design to create a sense of place that will stand the test of time. Ensuring the integration of new facilities to support daily life, delivering important infrastructure, parks and open spaces.  

Beaulieu Keep street scene 1920
Beaulieu, Chelmsford, Essex

Utilising our design skills 

We respond to the local vernacular and the opportunities and constraints of each site to achieve a design solution that utilises our standard house types without losing our ability to create differentiation between developments. However, where warranted we will create bespoke house types to suit the unique attributes of a particular site. 

Placemaking and legacy are a fundamental consideration in the planning of a new all our developments large and small, we make sure that our sites leave a lasting positive legacy for landowners, local community and the environment.  

A Sustainable approach 

We are committed to building places people love, with sustainable communities built to last. Our sustainability strategy focuses on three key areas over the next five to 10 years: 

  • Our operations and the homes we build
  • The communities we help to create and how we leave a positive legacy
  • Supporting our people so they can continue to deliver beautiful places that people love

To ensure we meet our ambitions, we have set clear and quantitative targets to keep us focused. To find out more visit '

Our Sustainable Approach

Building homes 

Countryside’s expertise in home building gives us a real understanding of what makes a successful place and the power of creating a cohesive community. It also means we can demonstrate to local authorities that we will deliver the housing that they are under pressure to provide to meet the requirements of their specific housing needs. 

Enabling new facilities and funds 

Our partnerships with public and private organisations have at times specifically focused upon the provision of much needed new facilities or funds to enable the delivery of key services. Our reputation for integrity and transparency has given strength to our credentials as a partner of choice to many reputable organisations. 

Our new business requirements 

The business was founded on a strong strategically sourced land bank.  However, the needs of the business are also met through the procurement of short term and immediate opportunities from time to time, therefore our requirement would be for: 

  • Residential led development opportunities.

  • Sites capable of accommodating upwards of 50 homes.

  • Areas of constrained supply with good planning prospects.

  • Option agreements or conditional contracts, subject to planning and unconditional contracts considered.

  • All land opportunities considered on their own merits; Greenfield or Brownfield opportunities considered.

Read about our Strategic land success stories

Douglas Bradshaw, Landowner re Hawkhurst in Kent

“Our land was sensitive in planning terms, and therefore it was very important to work with a developer with both the planning and design skills to finally unlock a consent. Countryside’s design-led ethos and corporate values appealed to me, and I have found their people to be professional and approachable. They have big company resources, whilst maintaining speed and pragmatism in their decision making.”

Contact the Countryside Land Team 

Developments

    Locations