Podcast Episode #16: Material Matters, Cut and Fill
May 5, 2026
Explore how early cut and fill strategy, sequencing and on‑site material management shape cost, programme and environmental outcomes on development projects.
Cost and Viability in Planning and Development
Through planning policy requirements, developers are required to engage early on viability issues during the initial planning process. Sites must also demonstrate that they can be brought forward with a suitable level of contribution to the local community, whilst delivering an acceptable level of profit for the developer.
In today’s world of cost inflation and scarcity of suitable land it essential to benchmark and appraise sites as early as possible in the planning and development lifecycle.
Brookbanks is in a unique position of being able to advise landowners, land promoters, and developers at every stage of development on both costs and viability using our innovative tools and our cradle to grave approach. We utilise our in-house specialist teams comprised of experts who can deliver cost effective and reliable advice.
We pride ourselves on ensuring that decisions made during the planning process result in deliverable and cost-effective schemes for our clients. Without this, planning consents risk being gained without the true cost and buildability of a scheme being fully appraised.
Please contact us for more information on what we can do to assist your scheme.
More News
Mitigating the Impact of Global Uncertainty
April 30, 2026
Rising geopolitical tension does not affect development viability in isolation, but through increasing pressure on energy prices, supply chains and the cost of energy‑intensive materials. Where schemes are progressed on assumptions made under more stable conditions, these pressures can quickly challenge margins, appraisals and deliverability, particularly in a flat housing market. Our article looks at how developers can respond to build cost volatility in a more informed and proportionate way. Drawing on our specialists' experience, it explores how early coordination, design‑led value engineering and integrated decision‑making can help manage cost risk, protect scheme viability and avoid short‑term measures that compromise long‑term quality and value.
Our April 2026 Newsletter
April 27, 2026
Welcome to our April 2026 newsletter. In this month's Brookbanks newsletter, learn more about how high-rise developments can be made more deliverable, with guidance on how you can reduce risk and protect viability. We're also looking back on our April webinar, where Annabel Le Lohe and Katherine Peers gave a rundown of Environmental Impact Assessments and how coordination can make a real impact on project delivery. Plus, there's a recap of this month's podcasts featuring two special guests. Paul Smith, Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group, and Tom Park, Associate Development Director at Caddick Developments. Also, find out which members of our team will be at UKREiiF as well as more about the CPD event we're co-hosting with the LPDF in May.