Real Estate

Where we can help

Landlord & Tenant

We handle the management of properties including dealing with the grant of leases and licences.  Amongst others we act for Cardinal Lysander in the management of many of their properties.  We also act for businesses in the taking and renewal of leases of all types of premises including offices, shop units and industrial estate units.  Amongst others we act for Old Mutual plc in respect of its space requirements. 

Property Acquisition

The acquisition of investment properties (including large portfolios) and development sites (see development and construction below and site assembly below) is also part of our portfolio.  Transactions in the region of £50m to £200m are not uncommon.  We also act for end users in the acquisition of properties from which to operate their businesses.  Instructions from Von Essen Investments Limited include the acquisition of Battersea Heliport, with the associated agreements for a heliport control facility, hotel, penthouse and office accommodation in the adjacent 13-storey development ("Von Essen lands in London", Estates Gazette, 17/02/2007).

Development and Construction

We advise clients on large scale and medium sized residential, mixed use and office schemes.  We have recently acted in the acquisition, development, leasing and sale of several large Central London office developments including the listed Holborn Town Hall and modern buildings in Procter Street exceeding 400,000 square feet.  Bee Bee Developments Limited and the Amsprop Group are two of many established clients who look to us for the complete legal service package.  Residential development schemes are another area of expertise - we recently completed the development and sale of one scheme in excess of 100 units - whilst our mixed use development portfolio includes city centre retail/residential schemes throughout the country.

As an adjunct to the development work we handle the professional appointments and warranties for our clients. 

Site Assembly

We handle contracts, options conditional upon planning permission and planning promotion agreements.  We act for a number of developers in respect of projects involving site assembly of all types and scale.  We are currently acting for Bee Bee Developments Limited in many of its developments and the promotion of sites in Northamptonshire, where it has planning permission for a major extension to Corby (involving in excess of 5,000 houses, a city academy, three primary schools, over 600,000 square feet of offices, green space and all associated infrastructure work) and is seeking planning permission for similar or greater sized residential developments in Kettering and Wellingborough.

Planning

As an adjunct to the development work and site assembly work we provide planning advice.

Funding

In collaboration with our Company Commercial and Banking departments we advise clients in relation to their funding requirements including primary and mezzanine debt and equity funding arrangements.  We also act for lending institutions in relation to their secured lending requirements.

We are a close-knit team of solicitors who get to know and understand our clients' businesses.  Our solicitors have a wide experience and counsel our clients through all aspects of a transaction.  

Our junior solicitors are encouraged to broaden their experience in all areas of commercial property work, so that they can give clients this rounded commercial advice.  We pride ourselves on seeing the bigger picture and working with our clients rather than just for them.