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Strategic Land Legal Services
Strategic land is a long game with different approaches to suit a landowner’s appetite for risk, need to generate cash and wish to control the look and feel of the developed scheme.
With larger schemes involving more than one landowner, you will need to consider how you structure the delivering of the scheme working with your neighbours while mitigating tax.
Our strategic land legal expertise
Our strategic land team offers an expert one-stop service to landowners, promoters and developers of sites, helping you plan for and realise maximum value from land with potential for strategic development.
At all stages we focus on your needs to deliver structures which are individually tailored to meet your requirements.
Our team operates within one of the largest private client practices in a UK law firm and one of the largest real estate teams in the country. Our breadth and quality of specialist services across the firm gives us the ability to offer a one-stop service.
We act for over 100 estates and for both individual and institutional landowners in relation to sites across the country. We have extensive knowledge and experience in guiding landowners through the options available and can assist with your negotiations to achieve the best deal and deliver a solution which maximises value and tax efficiency.
We can guide you every step of the way.
Step 1: Planning Phase
- Land pooling arrangements for multiple landowners
- Analysis of existing options and land interests
- Dealing with title issues including easements, wayleaves, restrictive covenants and indemnity insurance
- Advice on planning strategy applications, negotiating s106 agreements, advising on community infrastructure levy and project management of planning appeals
- Tax planning including minimising liabilities and maximising reliefs
Step 2: Disposal Strategy
- Options
- Promotion agreements
- Hybrid agreements
- Development and collaboration agreements
- Joint venture agreements
- Overage agreements
- Ransom
Step 3: Delivery
- Negotiations and bespoke documentation
- Construction and infrastructure matters
- Negotiating infrastructure agreements and planning compliance
- Dispute resolution
- Delivery of vacant possession
- Completion and ongoing management
We can work with you from the outset to help you understand the best structure for your land to reflect your needs. We are experienced in working with promoters and house builders and understand their commercial drivers, allowing us to ensure that terms are agreed which work for both parties and more importantly that your interests are protected.
Strategic land case studies
Case Study: Kingsgrove
We advised landowners on the disposal of a 227 acre development site in Wantage, Oxfordshire providing housing, a community centre, new primary school and park. The scheme is being developed and disposed of in conjunction with a significant developer with expertise in infrastructure projects.
Case Study: Ross-on-Wye
We are acting on the sale of residential development land for 290 dwellings comprising the sale of phase 1 with options over phases 2 and 3. Outline Planning consent was secured by a promoter acting on behalf of the landowners.
Case Study: Towcester
Acting for the landowner on the sale to Persimmon of the majority of the land comprised within an outline planning consent for a mixed use scheme including 2,750 homes under a conditional contract.
Case Study: Grove Airfield
We have acted for landowners in relation to the development of 2,500 home mixed use scheme at Grove Airfield, Oxfordshire. The scheme is one of the biggest housebuilding projects in Oxfordshire and is part of a total of 5,500 homes being built in the Wantage/ Grove area to provide an employment boost to ‘Science Vale’, where three science, innovation and technology parks are based.
Case Study: Summer Lane, Pagham
We advised Hanbury Properties on the completion of a development management agreement to promote and dispose of this site in phases with the existing landowners. We have dealt with the disposal of phases 1 (90 dwellings and community parkland) and 2 (400 dwellings, care home, primary school, POS and A1/A2/A3/D1 commercial space), including the negotiation of overage arrangements to protect our clients in the event of increased density secured by the end housebuilders.
Case Study: Angmering
Acting for a private landowner on the sale of the first phase of development land at Angmering, West Sussex pursuant to an option agreement. The phase comprised 45 acres to be developed for 175 dwellings with overage.
Meet our strategic land lawyers
What's important to you is important to us. Let's talk
If you would like to speak to a member of our Real Estate & Disputes team or to find out more about how we work, please get in touch.
Our thinking
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Further protection may mean further complications for development in Protected Landscapes
Sophie Willis
Quick Reads
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The Budget: further details on reforms to agricultural and business property emerge
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What can the Housebuilding industry take from Labour’s first 100 days in office?
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Election countdown: the Conservatives and Labour's position on housing
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What does the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 mean for nutrient neutrality?
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The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 & compulsory purchase
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The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023: streamlining and simplifying plan making?
Rachael Davidson
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Property Week quotes Claire Fallows on the regeneration of brownfield sites in England
Claire Fallows
In the Press
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Land Registry promises fully digital registration services by 2025
Lia Renna
Quick Reads
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CoStar quotes Claire Fallows on the new infrastructure levy announced in the Queen's Speech
Claire Fallows
In the Press
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