Strategic Land
The firm has acted for some years for both promoters and landowners on strategic land.
We are experienced in dealing with collaboration agreements, equalisation agreements and joint venture agreements whether contractual or corporate ones with all attendant ancillary documentation including shareholders agreements.
As with many of our development deals, overages feature in strategic land. The drafting of these is key to a successful transaction and we are able to navigate clients through what are often complex arrangements that will remain in place for many years and must therefore aim to be “future proof”.
We urge our clients from the outset to involve us on the transaction in conjunction with their professional team in order to settle the detailed heads of terms that are necessary for strategic land deals. This should avoid (or, at least, reduce) issues arising during the course of negotiation.
Our Clients
We act for a number of clients on strategic land promotion or otherwise in and around the M25, M4 and M5. Some of the sites we have dealt with have required our input on contamination issues and, more recently, power connections which are becoming more key for strategic land and indeed the renewable work that we do. This extends not only from the B2 and B8 developments that we deal with but also data centres.
Current transactions include substantial promotion land in South Bedfordshire along the A421 where last year, the firm acted for the promoters on the well-publicised upcoming proposed Universal theme park south of Bedford which was six years in the making including complex option and acquisition transactions. Our current deals include:
- site for 160,000 sq. m (net developable) major distribution hub outside Heathrow;
- 300 acre site immediately off the M5 being promoted for B2/B8/data centre with residential content;
- 36 acre site near Thurrock for commercial and distribution use;
- 90 acre site off the M25 for distribution/employment use;
- 1,000 homes promotion beside Milton Keynes for an estate in conjunction with a national housebuilder;
- acting for a farming family on a promotion by a national housebuilder for in excess of 600 homes near Aylesbury; and
- advising the landowners of a site hear Heathrow in respect of its promotion and sale for a proposed residential scheme of approximately 2,300 new homes with commercial development as well.
The firm acts for a number of established landed estates in the south west and elsewhere advising them on potential land promotion opportunities, renewable energy deals involving solar and battery farms and general diversification of their property holdings, including a development agreement for a licensed cannabis farm.
