Dev Assist

Dev Assist We audit locations for Conveyancing Solicitors' clients to assess development risks near a property. Don’t let your new dream home become a nightmare!

Even now, developers could be eyeing up a plot of land near the house you’re about to buy. And the chances are you won’t know anything about it. But we will...
DevAssess is a unique new report that includes existing planning information and identifies unexploited development sites. In approximately 10% of cases the searched property has hidden value revealed. DevEstate is our probate product th

at simply gives a development opinion on a property asset. The team at DevAssist have far too often seen property assets sold for far less then their true value, principally because no one ever thought to investigate its true potential. Now in less than 24 hours you can quickly see if the asset has the potential to be exploited for an alternative use and perhaps an increase in its value. Information is power. Make sure it’s in your hands. Before you buy, ask your solicitor or search provider for a DevAssist report. It’s the nearest you’ll get to seeing into the future! In association with:

Ordnance Survey Groundsure Landmark
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A standard search may complete the transaction. It may not protect the solicitor.More than 20% of legal complaints are d...
27/08/2026

A standard search may complete the transaction. It may not protect the solicitor.

More than 20% of legal complaints are directed at conveyancing, many involving planning issues. Yet standard searches still reveal only part of the picture.

If nearby development risk is missed before exchange and later affects value, the solicitor may be exposed. DevAssist investigates beyond the property boundary, helping firms identify risk before it becomes a complaint.

Visit our website to find out more.

Two hundred homes have been approved on green belt land on the edge of Macclesfield.The key issue at appeal was not whet...
25/08/2026

Two hundred homes have been approved on green belt land on the edge of Macclesfield.

The key issue at appeal was not whether Macclesfield was a historic town. It was whether this particular site made a strong enough contribution to preserving its historic setting to justify continued green belt protection.

The inspector concluded that it did not, allowing the land to be treated as grey belt.

In his latest article, DevAssist founder Paul Addison looks at what the decision tells us about the way planning designations are interpreted in practice, and why buyers and conveyancers need to look beyond the label attached to nearby land.

Because the existence of green belt protection is only part of the picture. How that protection applies to an individual site can be just as important.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4c0Tkwr

Fun fact of the month!There is a 16-sided house in England.A La Ronde in Devon was built in the late 18th century and ha...
24/08/2026

Fun fact of the month!

There is a 16-sided house in England.

A La Ronde in Devon was built in the late 18th century and has no traditional square rooms. Its unusual shape was designed by cousins Jane and Mary Parminter after returning from their travels around Europe.

With 16 sides, striking interiors and a layout unlike almost any other British home, it is proof that property has never had to follow the usual blueprint.

21/08/2026

A standard search just gives you data. DevAssist explains what it could mean.

In this video, Georgia Addison explains how our experts look beyond the property boundary to assess current and future development risk before exchange.

For buyers, that means a clearer picture of the location they are purchasing into. For conveyancers, it means expert interpretation rather than raw planning data alone.

Don’t just collect data. Understand it.

Could an estate property be worth more than its current use suggests?Executors have a responsibility to achieve the best...
20/08/2026

Could an estate property be worth more than its current use suggests?

Executors have a responsibility to achieve the best possible value for an asset, but development potential can be easy to overlook when a property is being prepared for sale. A DevProbate report examines residential and commercial properties under 0.25 acres in the same way a developer would, identifying opportunities such as extensions, redevelopment or a change of use.

That insight can help solicitors, executors and other advisers avoid underselling an asset before its full potential has been understood.

Learn more about DevProbate on the DevAssist website.

Meet Maria Leivars, National Business Development Manager at DevAssist.Maria brings more than 20 years of experience acr...
19/08/2026

Meet Maria Leivars, National Business Development Manager at DevAssist.

Maria brings more than 20 years of experience across the property sector, spanning estate agency, conveyancing, sales and business development.

At DevAssist, she works closely with conveyancers and other property professionals across the UK, helping firms understand how development risk reports can support stronger client service, better-informed decisions and more thorough due diligence.

Outside work, Maria enjoys travelling, socialising, spending time with her family and exploring the countryside with her two Rottweilers.

To arrange a meeting with Maria or book free training for your conveyancing team, contact [email protected].

How much protection does a planning constraint really provide?Thirty homes have been approved on unallocated farmland ne...
18/08/2026

How much protection does a planning constraint really provide?

Thirty homes have been approved on unallocated farmland near Storrington, within the setting of the South Downs National Park, despite the scheme having previously been refused.

One of the biggest factors at appeal was Horsham’s housing land supply, which stood at just 1.7 years. That substantial shortfall changed the planning balance and gave greater weight to the delivery of new homes.

The case is a useful reminder that protected surroundings, designations and previous refusals cannot always be considered in isolation.

Housing land supply, changing policy, appeal decisions and other planning pressures can all influence what happens next.

DevAssist examines that wider picture to help buyers and conveyancers understand how secure the surrounding planning position may really be.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/3TVdNwt

Planning data alone does not tell you whether a property is at risk. The real value lies in understanding what that data...
17/08/2026

Planning data alone does not tell you whether a property is at risk. The real value lies in understanding what that data means for the transaction, the client and the lender.

DevAssist brings together planning history, nearby land, local policy and future development potential, then interprets the findings through experienced planning specialists.

This gives conveyancers clearer insight before exchange, helping them advise clients with greater confidence and reduce the risk of important location issues being overlooked.

Because information is only useful when someone knows how to interpret it. Find out more on the DevAssist website.

A planning application is not where the development story begins.In Sheffield, six urban sites that had never been forma...
14/08/2026

A planning application is not where the development story begins.

In Sheffield, six urban sites that had never been formally assessed have now been brought back into consideration as part of the city’s emerging Local Plan.

Five of the sites have already been promoted as having capacity for 744 homes, while the largest covers around 6.5 hectares.

None of this means those sites will be developed. But it does show why looking only at current planning applications can give buyers an incomplete picture.

Land can be promoted, assessed and debated through the Local Plan process years before an application ever appears.

DevAssist looks at emerging planning policy and the evidence shaping future development because these earlier signals can help reveal where development pressure is building.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4wZ3Exy

What does clearer development risk information mean in practice?For property professionals, it means helping clients und...
13/08/2026

What does clearer development risk information mean in practice?

For property professionals, it means helping clients understand what could change around a property before they commit. Wilfred Gomez, Senior Client Account Manager at Search Acumen, explains the value DevAssist brings to the process:

“DevAssist offers a unique report that highlights potential developments that could impact the future enjoyment of land or property you’re in the process of buying. The report is applicable to consumers and businesses, and I cannot recommend Paul and the team highly enough. Working in the legal sector, my conveyancing clients concur that these reports provide clarity on development risks that are not normally picked up on the local authority search and something the consumer does not necessarily know about. The team has always been friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable, and these reports are invaluable to anyone concerned about the prospect of future development in the vicinity of a proposed purchase.”

Thank you to Wilfred for sharing such thoughtful feedback about the DevAssist team and the value our reports provide!

Address

East Grinstead
RH193AF

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

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+441342890010

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