What Three Dragons does

Three Dragons is an independent UK consultancy, established in 1996, that provides specialist advisory services across three core practice areas: housing policy analysis, development viability, and increasing housing choice (covering older persons housing, custom and self-build, affordable housing, and mixed communities). The firm combines expertise in town planning, economics, and development to advise local authorities, developers, housing associations, and government agencies on local plan viability, CIL charging schedules, s106 negotiations, expert-witness work at plan examinations and planning appeals, and — increasingly — net zero carbon development advisory for the ~300 UK local authorities that have declared climate emergencies.

The firm's competitive position rests on a portfolio of proprietary analytical toolkits developed over three decades: the Three Dragons Toolkit (a nationally used financial viability model), the Older Persons Housing Toolkit (demand forecasting for specialist accommodation), the Custom and Self-build Toolkit (developed with the National Custom and Self-Build Association), and the Commuted Sums Calculator (latest version released February 2025, adopted by Fareham Borough Council). These deterministic spreadsheet-based models are embedded in local-authority plan-making processes across the UK and underpin the firm's credibility as expert witnesses at planning examinations.

Commercially, Three Dragons operates a bespoke project-by-project professional services model, typically commissioned by local authorities for area-wide viability studies (often £20k–£80k per commission) or by developers for site-specific viability work. The firm is founder/associate-owned, with approximately 5–6 core directors and associates plus a network of self-employed affiliate consultants (including economist Shane Vallance of Moor Economics from summer 2025, and UCL Research Fellow Andrew Purves). The team works largely from home-based locations across England but serves clients in all four UK nations. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market relies on professional reputation, RTPI training engagements, published case studies, conference presentations, and government consultation responses rather than traditional sales infrastructure.

Name

Three Dragons

Legal name

Three Dragons

Website

https://three-dragons.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Three Dragons is a UK independent consultancy (est. 1996) providing specialist advisory on housing policy, development viability, and increasing housing choice to local authorities, developers, housing associations, and government agencies, underpinned by proprietary financial viability and demand-forecasting toolkits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: Three Dragons generates revenue by undertaking bespoke consultancy commissions for public and private sector clients across housing policy, development viability, and increasing housing choice. Work is project-based, commissioned by local authorities, developers, housing associations, and government agencies. They also provide expert witness services at plan examinations and planning appeals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Three Dragons is an independent consultancy that provides specialist advice on housing policy, development viability, and increasing housing choice to UK local authorities, developers, housing associations, and government agencies. Its work spans Local Plan and CIL viability studies, site-specific viability assessments, demand modelling for specialist housing (older persons, custom and self-build), affordable housing policy advice, and climate emergency planning. It also acts as an expert witness at plan examinations and planning appeals, supported by proprietary analytical toolkits.

Product overview

Three Dragons is an independent consultancy (established 1996) providing advisory services rather than a software product company. Its core offerings include several proprietary toolkits and calculators: the Three Dragons Toolkit (a nationally used financial viability model), the Older Persons Housing Toolkit for assessing specialist accommodation demand, the Custom and Self-build Toolkit for demand assessment, and the Commuted Sums Calculator for calculating affordable housing contributions. These analytical tools support their consulting services in housing policy analysis, development viability, increasing housing choice, and tackling climate change. The company works with local authorities, developers, housing associations, and other organisations across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Three Dragons Toolkit (Financial Viability Model) A bespoke financial viability model used by local authorities in plan making, development management, and scheme negotiations. The toolkit assesses development viability for both residential and non-residential development across various location types and is described as a nationally used model.
• Older Persons Housing Toolkit A demand assessment tool used to evaluate need for specialist sheltered or extracare older persons accommodation either on a scheme-specific or district-wide basis.
• Custom and Self-build Toolkit A demand model developed with support from the National Custom and Self-Build Association that provides estimates of demand for custom and self-build homes using local data, offering local authorities a demand-led longer-term picture to inform planning policies.
• Three Dragons Commuted Sums Calculator A tool that enables local authorities to collect contributions towards affordable housing by working out the value of parts of units or whole units where on-site provision is not practicable. Tailorable per local authority to consider affordable housing tenures and local values.
• Housing Policy Analysis Services Policy research covering aspects of the planning system and housing market for public and private clients, including Local Government Housing Advisers Programme studies and reviews of existing policy approaches.
• Development Viability Services Economic viability studies for residential and non-residential development including Local Plan and CIL Viability Studies and Site-specific Viability Assessments for landowners, developers, and local authorities, with expert witness representation at examinations and appeals.
• Increasing Housing Choice Services Policy development and strategic advice on housing solutions for older persons, custom and self-build development, affordable housing, Gypsy and Traveller accommodation, and mixed communities.
• Tackling Climate Change Services Advisory services on climate change including meeting local and national targets and moving toward net zero carbon, covering plan making, policy development, and costs of development decarbonisation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three Dragons viability evidence supported Cornwall Council's Climate Emergency DPD winning the RTPI Excellence in Plan Making Practice award in 2024.
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered project partner, core, key project partner, consortium partner, academic collaborator, cost consultancy partner and joint research partner.

• SQWproject partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons and SQW were commissioned by Dorset LEP to explore the relationship between jobs and housing and the impact of growth options in Dorset.
• Retirement Housing GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons provides the secretariat to the Retirement Housing Group, a leading trade association in the retirement housing sector. They prepared the widely used RHG Guide to viability appraisal of specialist retirement housing, extensively used at CIL and Local Plan Examinations. This is a longstanding, integral partnership.
• National Custom and Self-Build Association (NaCSBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons developed its Custom and Self-build Toolkit with support from NaCSBA. The toolkit provides estimates of demand for custom and self-build homes using local data for use by local authorities in planning policy.
• Quoda (formerly Enhabit)key project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons worked with Quoda on advising Lancaster City Council on achieving net zero carbon development. Quoda provided energy efficiency technical expertise while Three Dragons contributed viability assessment.
• Ward Williams Associateskey project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCost consultants providing cost plans for development schemes. Worked with Three Dragons on multiple projects including the Cranbrook new community viability testing, Essex Net Zero Carbon study, and Lancaster climate change work.
• Ulster Universitykey project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons worked with Ulster University as part of a consortium (with Cyngor Da) commissioned by Welsh Government to produce the Summative Evaluation of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.
• Cyngor Daconsortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Three Dragons/Ulster University/Cyngor Da consortium commissioned by Welsh Government for the WHQS summative evaluation.
• Steerproject partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThree Dragons worked with Steer to provide a technical assessment of Hull City Council's bid to the Local Enterprise Partnership for funding to regenerate Albion Square in Hull.
• Etudekey project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy modelling and technical feasibility partner for the Surrey Net Zero Carbon Toolkit, commissioned by Surrey County Council with Three Dragons undertaking viability modelling.
• Bio-regionalkey project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitated stakeholder engagement for the Surrey Net Zero Carbon Toolkit, commissioned by Surrey County Council with Three Dragons undertaking viability modelling.
• McBainsproject partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProperty and construction consultancy providing cost planning for the Chippenham Neighbourhood Plan viability assessment, working with Three Dragons.
• Right to Build Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons worked with the Right to Build Task Force to publish guidance填补 Planning Practice Guidance on viability modelling for Custom and Self-build housing. This guidance fills a gap in national PPG and is published on the Task Force's website.
• Andrew Purves (UCL Bartlett School)academic collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Purves is a Research Fellow at UCL Bartlett School of Planning and has worked on Three Dragons projects including affordable housing on Rural Exception Sites, NHS Hospital Trusts, and Northern Ireland Housing Executive projects. He provides research collaboration drawing on his PhD expertise in spatial planning.
• Turner & Townsendcost consultancy partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided cost information for base build costs and costs for different development policies in support of Three Dragons' London Plan viability testing for the GLA.
• Mead Solutionsjoint research partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons worked jointly with Mead Solutions and Celandine Strategic Housing on research for the GLA regarding Older Londoners and the London Plan.
• Celandine Strategic Housingjoint research partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Dragons worked jointly with Mead Solutions and Celandine Strategic Housing on research for the GLA regarding Older Londoners and the London Plan.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lichfields: UK planning, development economics, and viability consultancy serving local authorities and developers on Local Plans, CIL, and site viability — directly overlapping with Three Dragons' core offer.
• Turley: UK planning, economics, and design consultancy providing viability assessments, local plan evidence, and housing policy advice to local authorities and developers — direct competitor in the viability space.
• Montagu Evans: UK real estate consultancy offering planning, development viability, and housing economics services for public and private sector clients — directly comparable to Three Dragons' core advisory practice.
• Carter Jonas: UK property consultancy providing planning, development consultancy, and viability services to local authorities, developers, and landowners — directly comparable in service mix and client base.
• Avison Young: Global real estate advisory with a strong UK planning and viability practice serving local authorities and developers on plan-making and development economics.

Broad incumbents

• Savills (Planning & Development): Global real estate advisory with a UK planning and development economics division offering viability, CIL, and Local Plan services as part of a much broader real estate platform.
• JLL (Planning & Development): Global real estate services firm with a UK planning, development, and viability team serving public and private sector clients — broader portfolio but overlapping viability offering.
• Knight Frank: Global real estate consultancy with UK planning and development economics capability supporting local authorities and developers on viability and housing policy work.
• CBRE (Planning & Development): Global real estate services firm offering planning, development consulting, and viability advisory in the UK as part of a much wider advisory platform.
• Cushman & Wakefield (UK Development Advisory): Global commercial real estate firm with UK planning and development economics capability — broader portfolio but overlapping viability and development advisory services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Three Dragons