Commercial property law

We have extensive experience in residential, commercial and mixed-use developments and have also developed a national reputation for energy and renewable projects and regeneration schemes.

Development projects can start life in many forms, whether by straightforward acquisitions, conditional contracts, option agreements or more strategic investments such as promotion agreements.

We assist from project inception through to delivery of the development and its subsequent sale or letting. We don’t ever lose sight of the end result and, through our experience, we’re able to deliver our early-stage advice knowing how the end development will be influenced.

Our residential new-build team, who work with national PLCs as well as regional housebuilders, is a great example of our commitment to helping clients through the cycle of development. We acquire development sites, deal with planning and infrastructure matters, prepare the site for expeditious sale and carry out the plot sales together with complete site transactions.

Property investments can encompass many short and long-term assets. We know that our investment clients wish to receive sharp, proactive advice when they acquire or dispose of an investment. Our experience, together with our knowledge of the investment market means we’re skilful at negotiating transactional documentation as well as the ancillary finance requirements of any deal. We work with many retailers, industrial organisations, leisure businesses, as well as charities in relation to their investments.

We’re specialists in leasehold property transactions for landlords and tenants. We have long-term instructions in the management of large leasehold portfolios and know our clients need us to act quickly to avoid rental voids and occupancy issues.

Our commercial property solicitors work closely with our property litigation colleagues to facilitate our clients’ commercial objectives as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Having such a strong development practice, we understand the importance that planning, construction and infrastructure can have.

Our construction solicitors frequently advise on construction and planning matters including planning agreements and the impact they can have on project viability.

We also have extensive knowledge of infrastructure projects; liaising with public authorities and statutory providers to create robust and timely arrangements, ensuring developments can progress along agreed project timescales.

We have a strong social housing practice, acting for many of the registered providers in our region, particularly in relation to property development and disposals of homes.

This knowledge is supported by some of our lawyers having previous in-house experience within housing associations and holding non-executive board member positions within them.

We know that social housing providers have different obstacles, characteristics, and priorities from many other clients, and we are accustomed to these through our acquisition work, stock rationalisation projects, shared ownership expertise and refinancing matters.

View our Legal 500 recognition for social housing here.

With our specialist financial services, corporate and insolvency colleagues, we advise clearing and private banks, building societies, specialist lenders and corporate and individual borrowers on all aspects of lending and real estate transactions.

Together, our commercial property solicitors provide a seamless service whereby the due diligence, negotiation of facility and security documentation and completion of the deal are coordinated to ensure funds are drawn at the earliest possible opportunity for the stakeholders involved.