Land | jobs in house building | Housebuilding Careers

Making sure that there is land to build homes on is understandably a vital part of a house builder’s business. In fact, you could say it’s the foundation of the business. The Land department is therefore tasked with identifying suitable plots of land to build homes on, purchasing it and then getting the required planning permission that allows them to start the building process. It’s often a lengthy process and involves lots of negotiating and deal-making, but it provides the raw material for the rest of the company to work on.

At the beginning of the 21st century, it’s believed that the most sustainable development option is to concentrate people and jobs at the heart of our urban areas. House builders are alive to this and are adapting their business strategies in order to capitalise on opportunities for urban regeneration. As a result they are continually looking to increase their portfolio of brownfield sites in towns and cities. These sites often include redundant ex-industrial buildings that, with sensitive refurbishment, can satisfy demands for space and light.

Where brownfield land cannot meet local housing needs, the government’s preferred option is for sustainable urban extensions. When properly planned, these can be integrated with the existing infrastructure such as roads, public transport and sewers. Such developments can also be mixed-use, eliminating the need for many car journeys to, for example, work or to the shops.

For graduates, opportunities exist as trainee land buyers or negotiators. A degree in land management is particularly desirable, though not essential. Important attributes for anyone interested in this area of house building are enthusiasm to gain a working knowledge of the industry, willingness to undertake delegated tasks, good written and spoken English, and an ability to communicate with people at all levels and from different business backgrounds.