Development viability is often presented as though it is simply a calculation.
It isn’t.
A model can tell you whether a scheme works on a particular set of assumptions. The real professional task is deciding whether those assumptions reflect the market, the planning context and what can genuinely be delivered.
Land value, build cost, programme, finance, affordable housing and abnormal costs do not sit in separate boxes. Change one and the whole scheme can move.
That is why a good viability assessment should do more than produce an answer. It should explain the commercial reality clearly enough for developers, landowners and local authorities to make an informed decision.
At RCA Regeneration, our planning, development and valuation expertise sits together. That helps us identify the route to delivery—not merely diagnose why a scheme is stuck.
What assumption do you most often see misunderstood in viability discussions?