Purton South, Wiltshire
Client: Richard James Estate Agency (on behalf of the Rawling and Cook Families)
For many years, Richard James Estate Agents, led by Chris Pomphrey (Land and New Homes Director), have represented the Rawling and Cook families in south Purton. What began as a smaller proposal on the Cook family’s land grew into a more ambitious, community-focused scheme when Castlewood Ventures (the promotion partner) recognised the potential of combining it with the Rawling family’s adjoining land. The result, a cohesive development that delivers wholesale benefits to the village has now been draft allocated in the 2025 Modified Purton Neighbourhood Plan.
To secure the interests of all parties, TWP was instructed to draft legal terms for a comprehensive collaboration agreement, which also required re-aligning existing promotion agreements to reflect current objectives and updated financial terms. Alongside this, TWP provided legal and planning oversight to Richard James Estate Agents, ensuring all agreements were finalised efficiently and in time to support Castlewood Ventures in advancing the site’s promotion.
The Opportunity
TWP was engaged to support Richard James Estate Agency in representing the Rawling and Cook families, two longstanding landowners of strategic land located immediately south of Purton.
Following the successful promotion efforts by Castlewood Ventures and their planning consultants Turley, the site was included as a preferred draft allocation for approximately 250 homes in the Purton Neighbourhood Plan Update.
This allocation offers significant local benefits, including:
- The delivery of new housing with local support
- A potential alleviation of severe highway congestion around the village’s primary school through a new access route
- New open space and integrated pedestrian/cycle infrastructure
Our Role
Legal Strategy & Landowner Alignment
TWP was instructed by Richard James Estate Agency to:
- Provide strategic and legal oversight for the creation of a collaboration agreement between both landowners
- Lead the drafting of Heads of Terms, focused on financial clarity, risk protection, and working transparency
- Design a bespoke financial model that stress-tested multiple disposal and promotion outcomes
- Coordinate and advise on solicitor appointments for both landowners, including recommendations from TWP’s panel of trusted legal partners
- Ensure time-critical alignment of agreements to support the momentum created by Castlewood’s planning progress
Key Challenges & Our Response
Outcomes to Date
- Landowner alignment secured through signed collaboration agreement
- Heads of Terms drafted and executed in advance of final promotion agreement
- Interactive financial model delivered, enabling future-proofed scenario planning
- Draft allocation secured by Castlewood Ventures and Turley in the Purton Neighbourhood Plan Update (c.250 homes)
- Highway-led benefits embedded in the proposal to address long-standing local congestion
- Planning application expected in 2026, led by Castlewood Ventures and Turley
Why It Matters
This case illustrates TWP’s value in unlocking landowner partnerships and converting planning momentum into delivery readiness. With complex land interests, local political dynamics, and urgent timing, our role ensured legal clarity, commercial alignment, and trusted progress — allowing the promotion strategy to remain on track and fully supported.
Gallery
Loddon Valley Garden Village, Wokingham
Home Farm, Radlett, Hertfordshire
Stanbury Wharf, Holsworthy
