OUR SERVICES
Education Estate Strategy & Disposals
A specialist advisory service for schools, academies, MATs, colleges and local authorities
LGPC provides confidential, independent advice to education providers who are considering how best to use, rationalise or dispose of land and property assets. We help individual schools and multi-academy trusts unlock value from their estates to support investment in facilities, curriculum delivery and long-term educational outcomes.
Our expertise spans strategic estate planning, feasibility, governance, compliance and delivery, giving leadership teams clear, evidence-based options grounded in policy and public-sector accountability.
LGPC works in partnership with Prime Plots, an award-winning transactional land agency specialising in the identification, preparation and disposal of education land. Prime Plots has advised foundation schools and multi-academy trusts on compliant disposals in Green Belt and sensitive locations, securing multi-million-pound capital receipts ringfenced for new school buildings and sports facilities, including net-zero redevelopment and 3G pitch projects.
Prime Plots is regulated by The Property Ombudsman and aligned with Propertymark professional standards, adheres to RICS valuation guidance, and can commission formal Red Book valuations and RTPI Chartered Town Planner reviews as part of a robust, audit-ready due diligence process.
Who we work with
Individual schools and academies
We support single-site schools that are:
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Identifying surplus or underused land
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Seeking to reinvest in facilities or improve their estate
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Managing ageing buildings, scattered layouts or inefficiencies
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Exploring rationalisation or site reconfiguration
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Requiring impartial advice before engaging with developers or third parties
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Our work gives headteachers, senior leadership teams and governing boards clear, financially and legally sound options for their estate.
Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)
We work extensively with large MATs, providing trust-wide strategic oversight and consistent reporting across multiple schools.
Our support includes:
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Portfolio-wide estate planning
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Comparative feasibility studies across several sites
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Prioritisation of investment and disposals
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Governance documentation aligned with trust Schemes of Delegation
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Preparation of board and audit committee papers
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Guidance through DfE, ESFA and local authority approval routes
We ensure MATs receive uniform, reliable and audit-ready reporting that supports transparent, defensible decision-making across their estates.
Our specialist services
1. Strategic Estate Review & Options Assessment
For schools and MATs, we assess:
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Surplus or inefficient land and buildings
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Long-term estate risks and constraints
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Opportunities for consolidation, reconfiguration or development
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Alignment with pupil place planning and educational priorities
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Options for unlocking capital value
Where proposals affect outdoor space, we also review playing field guideline area requirements, drawing on standards such as BB103 (mainstream schools) and BB104 (SEND/alternative provision) to ensure compliance and minimise risk at approval stage.
For MATs, we provide cross-school assessments to support strategic prioritisation.
2. Surplus Land Feasibility & Residual Land Value (RLV) Modelling
We undertake feasibility and valuation work including:
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Development potential and capacity testing
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Initial massing or layout scenarios
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Planning and policy interpretations (including Green Belt and educational land protections)
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Residual Land Value modelling and sensitivity testing
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Advice on potential impacts on school operations and site functionality
If required for DfE approval, trust audit, funding agreements or disposals, we can commission RICS Red Book valuations through accredited partners.
3. Governance, Approvals & Compliance
We support schools and trusts through the statutory requirements outlined in the DfE’s land transaction guidance, including:
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Section 77 consent for disposals or changes of use of school land
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Schedule 1 consent for academy land transactions
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Schedule 22 notifications for disposals of non–playing field land by maintained schools
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Local authority consultation and approvals
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Trustee duties and Charity Law considerations
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ESFA expectations around public value, transparency and “best consideration”
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Preparation of options appraisals, risk assessments, decision papers and evidence packs
For MATs, we coordinate documentation across multiple schools, ensuring consistency and compliance with trust governance frameworks.
4. Planning Strategy & Policy Engagement
LGPC provides strategic planning insight to help schools and trusts understand the opportunities, risks and constraints that influence estate decisions. Our role is to bring clarity at the earliest stage, ensuring proposals are grounded in realistic assumptions and capable of withstanding regulatory, legal and stakeholder scrutiny.
Our strategic planning support includes:
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High-level assessment of planning risk and opportunity
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Review of relevant planning policy, including Green Belt and emerging local plans
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Analysis of political and local context affecting deliverability
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Indicative development capacity and scenario testing
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Guidance on planning strategy as part of wider estate and disposal planning
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Integration of planning considerations into feasibility, governance and options appraisal
To ensure proposals are robust and defensible, LGPC can commission Chartered Town Planner (RTPI) reviews through trusted partners, providing independent expert assessment where formal planning opinion is required.
Where documentation for DfE, ESFA or local authority approval must include valuation evidence, feasibility or market testing, we can also commission RICS Red Book valuations and specialist technical inputs.
For MATs, we prepare portfolio-level planning summaries, ensuring consistent, comparable analysis across multiple schools and supporting trust-wide prioritisation.
This strategic, coordinated approach ensures that planning, valuation and feasibility considerations are fully aligned, professionally validated and ready to meet the standards expected by regulators, auditors, trustees and external stakeholders.
5. Delivery: Land Disposal & Agency (via Prime Plots)
If a disposal is approved, Prime Plots provides:
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Market positioning and disposal strategy
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Developer engagement and bid management
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Offers analysis, negotiation and trustee/governor reporting
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Transparent audit trails aligned with DfE and ESFA expectations
LGPC remains your strategic and governance adviser, ensuring the disposal progresses compliantly and is fully aligned with the educational and financial objectives of the school or trust.
How we work
For individual schools
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Estate and feasibility review
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Planning and value assessment
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Governance and approvals roadmap
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Clear, evidence-based recommendations for governors
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Optional delivery support
For MATs
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Trust-wide planning and data review
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Standardised feasibility and valuation modelling
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Cross-site prioritisation and strategy development
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Executive-level and board-ready reporting
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Oversight of multi-site approvals and statutory processes
Why schools and trusts choose LGPC
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Experience supporting some of the country’s largest MATs
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Consistent, standardised trust-level reporting
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Strong understanding of DfE, ESFA, local authority and Charity Law frameworks
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Impartial — no affiliation with developers or promoters
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Expertise in navigating Section 77, Schedule 1 and Schedule 22 requirements
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Adherence to RICS valuation guidance, with Red Book valuations commissioned where required
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Professional conduct under The Property Ombudsman and Propertymark
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Track record of delivering robust, defensible proposals for constrained school sites
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Clear audit-ready documentation for governors, trustees and committees
Our work is grounded in compliance, public value and educational benefit.
Next steps
LGPC welcomes confidential discussions with:
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Headteachers
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Trust CEOs and Executive Teams
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CFOs/COOs
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Estates Directors and Managers
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Governance and compliance professionals
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Local authority officers
Whether you operate a single school or a large multi-academy trust, we can help you assess your estate options and progress them with confidence.