Real Estate Development

Our Real Estate Development practice remains at the heart of the Real Estate group and handles complex residential and mixed use development sites, from acquisition through to disposals of completed units, and affordable housing disposals.

We act for a diverse range of domestic and international clients and have a very broad spread of clients in many different sectors. We work extensively with other specialists within the firm in related practice areas such as construction, planning and environmental, disputes, banking, corporate and tax.

 

Experience

  • Acquisition and disposal advice (including dispoal strategy) on schemes with development values exceeding £300m in some cases.
  • Advising developers and landowners on joint ventures and collaboration agreeements.
  • Advising on land sale agreements and development agreements on numerous affordable housing transactions.
  • Acquisition of a 22 acre former brewery site in London for a mixed use development.
  • Acquisiton of former film studios in West London for residential redevelopment for over 200 units.
  • Advising on the residential aspects of a £600m mixed use development.
  • Advising promoters and landowners on land promotion agreements.

Legal Podcast

Episode 1: Coworking – Phenomenon or Flash in the Pan?

Key legal issues for landlords and tenants from the biggest market disrupter for decades discussed by Wedlake Bell commercial property partners Suzanne Gill and Claire Nelson.

Wedlake Bell LLP, which recently merged with fellow City firm Moon Beever, has a strong commercial property department which covers a range of specialisms including high-value investments, a front on which David Roberts is exceedingly active, leveraging his expertise in logistics and retail assets. The department is also reputed for its full-service development service, which has a focus on mixed-use, business park and heritage building schemes with Kim Lalli particularly busy in the residential project space. Justin Lewis-Vivas helms the practice, which also includes Sarah Blunn, a lawyer integral to the firm's corporate occupier practice which caters to companies from the luxury brand, hospitality and leisure, co-working, sciences and professional services sectors.

— Legal 500, 2022

Wedlake Bell combine professionalism, knowledge, pragmatism and a personal relationship that makes interactions quick and easy. With reasonable charging rates and quality of personnel, they are my default practice of choice.

— Legal 500, 2022

"Their experience and balanced approach, allied with their attitude to meeting the objectives we set, all provides us with confidence."

— Chambers UK, 2021

Sarah Blunn is an exceptional real estate lawyer, commercial and dedicated to her clients'.

— Legal 500, 2020

'Suzanne Gill is an excellent legal adviser, transactional lawyer and highly personable individual. She brings a refreshing prospective to the law. Suzanne has immense gravitas and a razor sharp legal mind.'

— Legal 500, 2020

'Wedlake Bell provide high quality legal work, with strong communications and a sense of personal ownership of issues and work flow by the respective partners. In an increasingly complex and confusing world in the post brexit era Wedlake Bell provide clarity and strong counsel.'

— Legal 500, 2020

"We're very happy with the service and support we receive – we can rely on the team and they feel like part of our business. They're highly responsive and always looking to improve the service and their value for money."

— Chambers UK, 2018

"They are fantastic. They are commercial, pragmatic and concise. They are 'to the point' but they still comprehensively go through strategy and are on the ball tactically."

— Chambers UK, 2018

"Wedlake Bell LLP demonstrates ‘superb knowledge and excellent delivery of advice and information’, and the practice is well-versed in advising international investors on a range of deals."

— Legal 500, 2017

Malcolm Macfarlane and Justin Lewis-Vivas are the main contacts.

— Legal 500, 2017

Senior partner Kim Lalli focuses on the healthcare and residential sub-sectors, and in one highlight, is acting for CALA Management on the acquisition and redevelopment of an industrial site at Imber Court, Surrey.

— Legal 500, 2017