Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Developer definition

What does Developer mean? In legal practice, a developer is the party that procures, funds and manages a property development, commissioning design and construction to deliver the completed works. A developer need not own the land or the works; it may act through a special purpose vehicle and is commonly the employer under JCT or NEC building contracts. Developers negotiate development agreements (including with public bodies), let professional appointments, and give or take collateral warranties. They usually secure planning permission and enter planning obligations (for example, section 106 agreements in England and Wales, section 75 agreements in Scotland, section 76 agreements in Northern Ireland,...

Acting for developers in property development joint ventures: structure, funding, governance, profit share, planning control, deadlock and exit mechanisms, and public sector land issues (England and Wales)

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Practice notes

Structure Reasons for the developer to form a jv

There are several grounds on which a developer may choose to pursue a JV in connection with a development project, such as the following:

spreading risk with another party and placing particular specialist risks with the JV participant most suited to manage them,
combining specialist knowledge and expertise to marshal resources on a larger scale and for greater returns,
gaining access to specific market knowledge from a party with specialist market experience outside the developer’s usual course of business

From the developer’s viewpoint, in practice, it should be cautious not to over‑engineer the JV framework if this might fetter the management of the development process—beginning with the acquisition of land at the outset, continuing through the construction phase, and finally when making disposals upon completion. For example, a more traditional contractual relationship, such as a development agreement, may be more suitable where the goal of sharing in profits can be achieved through overage arrangements; in those circumstances, this may give the developer greater freedom and flexibility to advance the project unhindered.

Types of JV structures

For further information on types of JV structures generally, see Practice Notes: Types of development structures Property Joint...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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