The Wellcome Trust

Urban&Civic was acquired by The Wellcome Trust in 2021.  Both Urban&Civic and Catesby Estates form part of The Wellcome Trust’s investment portfolio. 

The Wellcome Trust are the world’s third largest charity seeking to support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing. 

L&Q Estates Acquisition

In August 2024, Urban&Civic acquired L&Q Estates, who had been in the business of identifying, promoting and acquiring land for over 60 years. 

The acquisition aligns with the Catesby Estates business model and builds on our already significant land portfolio and unrivalled expertise in promoting land for development.

This, combined with our already significant financial backing, provides us with a clear platform advantage over other land promotion businesses and establishes Catesby Estates as market leader within the sector.  Find out more here.

Land Promotion Aerial Image
Land Promoters and Landowners Working Together

Well Established Team Of Land Promotion Experts

With six in-house specialist teams focused on land, planning, technical, design, public consultation and finance, our team ensures your land is in safe hands.

Many of the Catesby Estates team have worked for major housebuilders or developers, and are affiliated to professionally accredited bodies within their field.

This in-house land promotion expertise, and our policy of working in collaboration with landowners, councils and local stakeholders has built us a first class reputation for bringing forward land with planning consent for new homes.

Find out more about the Catesby Estates team here.

A Reputation For De-risking Housing Delivery 

As innovators within the land promotion sector, Catesby Estates was one of the first to recognise the importance and added value, in-house technical expertise can deliver to both landowners and housebuilders.

Our technical team is unique amongst land promoters, and are able to bring forward sites with comprehensive technical background work completed, and offer value engineered solutions to any site constraints.

This means there is less upfront risk for a housebuilder, that comes with a land site that has not been fully considered from a technical and deliverability perspective.

This in turn increases the speed of housing delivery, with housebuilders able get onsite and start construction quicker.

Housebuilders and Local Authorities can be confident a planning permission obtained by Catesby Estates is deliverable. 

New homes through land promotion
Planning experts at land promoter Catesby Estates

Planning and Housing Land Supply Knowledge

Catesby Estates have in-house extensive knowledge of planning, and meeting housing demand in areas of clearly identified need, working closely with Planning Officers to gain recommendations for approval.

For the planning process to work effectively, land promoters, housebuilders, councils and residents need to work together in partnership.

By researching and understanding a Local Authority’s housing land supply, Catesby are able to identify sites which are suitable for delivery. Residential land sites can be promoted over the longer term in conjunction with the Council’s planning strategy if necessary.

If the Local Authority is unable to demonstrate a 5 year supply of housing land, an immediate planning application may be appropriate.

Catesby work at both a local and national level to help build policy which supports the delivery of new homes and infrastructure in key areas across the country.  

63 Map Icon Number of sites within land promotion portfolio
4715 Measurement Icon Total acres of land being promoted
22067 House and Keys Icon Number of homes being brought forward

We have worked with Catesby Estates across a number of land promotion sites, and have been impressed by their attention to detail and ability to bring forward well designed and sustainable residential development through the planning system.

Their dedicated in-house land, planning and technical teams are skilled at implementing a bespoke strategy for each site, ensuring our clients have the best opportunity of maximising value from their land.

We have found Catesby to be diligent, fair and honest and we look forward to continuing our working relationship with them.

Luke Brafield
Partner, Fisher German

Wanting to build on our previous successes at the Dorridge View and Dorridge Gate developments in Solihull, we worked closely with Catesby Estates to purchase the 115 unit development opportunity at Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common , following the grant of outline planning consent.

Catesby Estates brought to the market a site that was technically considered and deliverable, and following a very quick reserved matters consent we are now operational, with sales looking positive following the launch of the show homes.

I am confident this will be a very successful site for Crest Nicholson and look forward to being able to conclude another deal with Catesby Estates in the future.

Crest Nicholson
Former Development Director

Catesby Estates worked with us on a land site delivering 450 new homes and a retail park in Bude, Cornwall.

Their team of in-house professionals navigated the complicated planning process on our behalf keeping us in the loop throughout all stages of the land promotion.

We would have no hesitation in recommending Catesby Estates to other landowners who are looking to capitalise on the development potential in their land.

Mr & Mrs Jose
Landowners - Bude, Cornwall

Catesby are the exception! They engaged with me and my Parish from the outset of the Longhedge masterplan.

Together, with the support of the landowner, they listened and helped deliver much needed community facilities and a great place for people to live.

Councillor Ian McLennan
Wiltshire Council and Laverstock and Ford Parish

Our ongoing partnership with Catesby Estate is an invaluable component of our teaching and learning strategy, enriching our curriculum through collaboration with key practitioners in the land industry.

Over the years, this partnership has enabled us to provide our BSc (Hons) Real Estate and BSc (Hons) Rural Property Management students at Harper Adams University with unique, hands-on learning experiences. Beyond site visits, guest lectures from Catesby Estate and Urban&Civic have deepened our students’ understanding of critical issues such as land supply and risk management in housing, which they incorporate directly into their property development and management assessments.

This collaboration culminates in the annual Catesby Estate Prize, awarded to the top-performing student in the Property Development and Management module at our graduation prize-giving ceremony.

Harper Adams University
Dr Itua Omokhomion, Land and Property Management

I would say that if we had worked with any other land promoter in our opinion the site may still not have come forward for development. It has been an incredibly long and arduous journey through the planning system, but the successful outcome is certainly down to the experience within the Catesby team.

The site was sold to Bellway Homes within 12 months of the decision being made by the Planning Inspectorate. We would like to sincerely thank Catesby for their tenacious professionalism and say an overwhelming well done. A brilliant team!

John & Keith Dunn
Landowners - Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

Catesby Estates have been a much valued new business partner in recent years.

We have purchased a number of sites from the team, some of which had complex issues, requiring collaboration, technical skills plus knowledge and trust.

We continue to work on new business together and look forward to future success.

Nick Brown
Land Director, Cala Homes

We are working very closely with Catesby Estates on this exciting new residential development taking shape at Myton Green.

We have been impressed by their attention to detail and ability to bring forward this site with early investment in high quality infrastructure delivery and public realm works.

This sympathetic and well-designed development will be a welcome addition to helping boost the supply of much needed housing in the District, and we look forward to continuing our working relationship with them.

Chris Elliott
Chief Executive, Warwick District Council

We worked with Catesby Estates to bring forward our land in Kenilworth to a very successful conclusion.

Their methodical and productive approach kept what was a complex project moving forwards despite a number of complications and they were able to secure a significantly better price for our land than we had initially thought possible.

I would have no hesitation in recommending the team at Catesby.

Tim Chudley
Landowner - Kenilworth, Warwickshire

We work closely with Catesby Estates who are delivering the infrastructure for 735 homes at our site in Myton Green, Warwick.

We have been impressed with their attention to detail; from working with Warwickshire District Council to discharge planning conditions and agree Reserved Matters for infrastructure and public realm works, to the appointment of a preferred contractor.

We have regular progress meetings, and their team of in-house land, planning and technical professionals are a pleasure to work with.

Europa Way Consortium
Myton Green, Warwick

As an organisation that represents the interests of farmers, landowners and rural businesses we are always open to working with professionals who can provide an expert view on topics of importance for our members.

It was a pleasure to partner with Catesby Estates at our planning seminars and for their land and planning teams to share their knowledge and experience of how to navigate the potential pitfalls of the planning system.

Country Land and Business Association
Events Manager, Elaine Molton

Myton Green Park, part of the Myton Green development.

The Creme de la Creme of parks.

We have visited a lot of parks and this has to be one of, if not the best park that we've been to.

Adventures in Warwickshire and Beyond

Catesby Estates have worked meticulously on our behalf to obtain planning permission for a development of 65 homes on land at Haughley, Suffolk.

The professional team consulted fully with Haughley parishioners at open days and Parish Council meetings and the early ideas were subsequently amended to address local concerns. They have been complimented on this friendly approach.

Catesby then successfully negotiated the complicated planning application process resulting in approval by Mid Suffolk District Council.

We have been kept fully informed throughout. We would thoroughly recommend Catesby Estates to any other owners who are seeking a promoter for their land development.

Rosemary Welburn and Robert Stiff
Landowners - Haughley, Suffolk