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Built Environment

Built Environment:

Taking a development idea from concept to construction is a detailed, time-consuming and challenging task, but ultimately hugely rewarding. To make your ideas a reality and keep your project on track, you need expert advice at every step.

We’re here to help. Our experienced team of commercial development lawyers are on hand to provide practical, focused solutions at all stages of the process. From your initial idea, through to acquisition and site assembly, planning, funding and investment, to the engagement of a construction team and the eventual sales or lettings of properties.

With decades of experience in the field, we manage the interests of developers, buyers, funders, investors, tenants, occupiers, public sector bodies and stakeholders. Our team operates in many sectors of development, including housebuilding, office, retail, manufacturing and industrial, mixed-use, energy, health, leisure and hospitality.

Depending on your specific needs, we tailor multi-disciplinary teams to suit individual project requirements, comprising of specialists in property and real estate, planning, construction, property litigation, corporate and tax, as needed.

You can also access our in-house chartered town planners and plans technicians to provide bespoke assistance with development schemes. And if it’s significant strategic development and regeneration projects you have in mind, we can support on that too.

Whatever your needs, our expert, multi-disciplinary team can help you make your development project a reality, taking care of every detail.

Our services
  • Advice in relation to choosing the most appropriate vehicle for your development venture, such as LLP, REITs and LPs
  • Advice in relation to collaboration and joint venture arrangements
  • Advice on infrastructure agreements
  • Construction documentation
  • Estate set-up advice/choosing the right legal structure for your development
  • Negotiation of building/ground leases
  • Negotiation of conditional land purchase agreements, options, pre-emptions and planning promotion agreements
  • Negotiation of development agreements and funding agreements
  • Negotiation of overage/profit share arrangements
  • Onward/forward sales and lettings
  • Planning advice
  • Site assembly and site acquisition, including by compulsory purchase and appropriation
  • Tax advice

Contact a specialist

Alex Cox

Partner | Built Environment

+44 (0) 330 137 3530

+44 (0)787 219 0881

Email Alex Cox

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Kevin Weston

Partner | Built Environment

+44 (0) 330 137 3526

+44 (0) 0791 232 8153

Email Kevin Weston

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Simon Errington

Partner | Built Environment

+44 (0) 330 137 3531

+44 (0)752 522 5770

Email Simon Errington

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Jonathan Dickson

Partner | Built Environment

+44 (0) 330 137 3524

+44 (0)788 555 7001

Email Jonathan Dickson

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What people say

  • Nick Gholkar is excellent.

    Legal 500, client quote

  • Excellent advice provided.

    Legal 500, client quote

  • Very proactive, professional and pragmatic. Easy to work with and good communication skills.

    Legal 500, client quote

  • The individuals I work with at this practice are engaging, professional and attentive, they are always available to discuss matters at great length and conscientious in everything they produce. I have far more confidence in the advice provided than have encountered with other practices; they also make themselves available for a simply discussion, matters outside of the scope for general advice. Irrespective of knowing they have multiple clients and dealings, you always feel that the right time is allocated to your particular matter, something again which is not obtained elsewhere. Sophie Bohill and Julia Thomson are my main contacts at this practice; the above comments specifically relate to my sometimes daily interactions with these ladies who are genuinely amazing and work well outside the normal 9-5.

    Legal 500, Client quote

  • Ward Hadaway truly provide a one to one service, attention to detail and ensuring everything is clear and concise. Nothing ever feels difficult, always willing to go the extra mile and certainly obtainable at all hours. They are always accessible, make more of an effort keeping clients updated rather than being chased and the documentation provided in relation to transactions is vital for referencing after the event.

    Legal 500, Client quote

  • Ward Hadaway’s team is part of our team and acts as such. Our success is their success and vica versa. Both teams are aware of each others’ strengths and weaknesses and accommodate them.

    Legal 500, Client quote

  • Highly regarded full-service property practice acting for a number of household-name clients. Regularly represents national housebuilders, as well as several commercial developers and public sector organisations. Offers additional strength in property-secured lending.

    Chambers & Partners

  • Particularly active in development and financing work for clients including national house builders and landowners.

    Chambers & Partners

  • Strong relationships with high-profile house builder clients, advising on acquisitions, site assembly, development and disposals. Also acts for local authorities and national banks. Further specialism in the healthcare and energy sectors.

    Chambers & Partners

What we're thinking

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