What they are
In a joint development (collaboration) arrangement, a landowner contributes land and a developer contributes money and development work, sharing built area or proceeds. They are common for aggregated land and for licensed colonies.
Settle these first
- Title and records of every owner, with all co-owners party to the deal.
- Planning route: which licence or permission will be applied for, by whom, and what happens if it is refused or delayed.
- Sharing: area or revenue share, how it is identified, and when it becomes the owner's.
- Timelines and defaults: milestones, extensions, and what each side can do on default.
- Powers of attorney: exactly what the developer may do in the owner's name.
- Stamp duty and registration of the agreement and any power of attorney.
- RERA: who is the promoter for registration and disclosures.
A distinction worth keeping
The Supreme Court in Suraj Lamp expressly said that genuine development agreements and related powers of attorney, regulated and stamped as the law requires, are not affected by its ruling on SA/GPA/Will "sales". The protection depends on the documents being what they say they are.
Who acts
Advocates for each side draft and advise; the planning authority decides licences; RERA governs project registration.