Then it will lease back the properties, which are used to market its housing developments, on a licence agreement.

To be really robust, you should ask a solicitor or ruralpractice chartered surveyor (find one at rics.org) to produce a licence agreement.

Ask to see a copy of the written licence agreement, or contract, that you will be asked to sign when you buy.

For this reason, landowners and their professional representatives will usually negotiate an access licence agreement with their neighbours to enable them to put up scaffolding — often for a small fee.

So, it's invoking rules under the licence agreement for a 'more structured process': basically the two sides arguing around a table.