Project Planning Checklist: Land, Permits, Water, Construction & Costs

A good price or location does not prove the land can carry the project. Verify title, permitted use, water, access and buildability with independent local professionals before purchase — not after.

• Ownership, liens, easements and boundaries verified by independent local counsel
• Agricultural and greenhouse use confirmed as permitted on the parcel
• Zoning and development rights for the planned structures confirmed in writing
• Net buildable area surveyed — excluding roads, buffers, reservoirs and slopesGross hectares overstate usable area
• Geotechnical and drainage conditions assessed for foundations and floor loads
• Flood, wind and climate exposure mapped against the structural specification
• Road access and logistics route to the nearest port or market confirmed
• Power connection point, capacity and upgrade responsibility identified
• Purchase contract conditional on essential approvals, water and utilities

Approval paths differ by country and by parcel. Map every permit — planning, environmental, construction, water abstraction, operating — with the responsible authority before closing on land or signing equipment contracts.

• Full approval map drafted: planning, environmental, construction, water, operating
• Responsible authority named for each approval, with statutory time limits where they exist
• Environmental impact assessment requirement confirmed or ruled out
• Building permit scope covers all planned structures, reservoirs and packhouse
• Water abstraction or connection permit path confirmed with the water authority
• Import, customs and phytosanitary requirements identified for equipment and seed
• Operating licences and food-safety registrations listed for the target market
• Approval sequence checked — which permits are prerequisites for others

Water quantity and quality stop more projects than structure choice. Lawful access, sustainable flow and a laboratory analysis must exist before irrigation, fertigation or treatment equipment can be specified.

• Lawful water source confirmed: well, surface, municipal, desalinated or treated wastewater
• Sustainable flow rate at peak demand measured, not estimated
• Full laboratory analysis: EC, pH, sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, iron, boron, pathogens
• Peak-day and seasonal demand calculated for the planned area and crop
• Storage volume sized for peak-day buffer and supply interruptions
• Treatment or blending requirement determined from the analysis
• Drainage and discharge route confirmed, including recirculation rules where they apply
• Backup source or emergency supply plan documented

Construction overruns usually come from scope gaps decided too late: civil works, foundations, power, water connections and commissioning responsibilities. Close them before signing any supply contract.

• Scope boundary written down: what the supplier builds versus local civil works
• Foundations, floors, roads and drainage costed separately from the structure
• Power connection, transformer and backup power responsibilities assigned
• Water connection, storage and treatment civils included in the works plan
• Customs clearance, inland transport and site storage planned for imported equipment
• Installation supervision, commissioning and acceptance testing defined in the contract
• Construction schedule phased against crop calendar and financing drawdowns
• Local contractor availability and capability verified for civil works

CAPEX alone never tells you whether a project works. Land, enabling works, equipment, installation, operating cost and financing structure must stand up together — including the downside scenario.

• CAPEX split into land, enabling works, structure, systems, installation and contingency
• Escalation and currency exposure allowed for on imported equipment
• Annual OPEX modelled: energy, water, labour, inputs, maintenance, packaging, logistics
• Cost per usable square metre and per kilo of saleable output calculated
• Payback and ROI tested with a downside yield and price scenario
• Working capital for the first production cycle included, not just build cost
• Financing route chosen — equity, leasing or credit — with lender requirements listed
• Budget figures treated as planning benchmarks, not supplier quotations