Living

In a turbulent world PBSA development and investment markets have continued to provide developers with opportunity and institutions with secure income flows from a structurally undersupplied asset class. There is no let up and our experts have over 15 years of experience operating in the market throughout this massive growth period. Indeed, our experts have been at the cutting edge from its nascent days and have helped shaped the growth of the asset class into what it is today, having been involved in some of the asset class’s most significant and milestone transactions throughout that period.

Our experts have experience of acting for investors (both national and international), developers, funders and operators in the PBSA sector, including the advising on structuring, entry and exit strategies and operational arrangements. Our global network, especially through Asia, works closely together to ensure that the most up to date market and industry knowledge is shared to ensure that we work collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver a successful result for our clients.

Our experts regularly speak at industry events, advise other professional service firms operating within the sector, author thought leadership pieces and understand the importance of widening every stakeholder’s network within the sector.

The build to rent sector has become an important and growing sector of the real estate market. With an increasing number of private renters — the provision of modern professionally run high quality homes purpose built to rent has become more important than ever. With a client base which has been at the forefront of developing this market, our partner led team has extensive experience. Whether single or multifamily, direct development, forward funding or the acquisition of stabilised assets, we have broad experience and an extensive deal sheet. We act for landowners, developers, funders and operators and we take pride in our creative and responsive approach to working with clients. Through this experience we have gained extensive local and international market knowledge and combined with our proven technical excellence means we offer a best in class service. 

The failure to adapt to the needs of an aging population is not just a national, but a global challenge. Across the world in most developed nations, homebuilding aspirations have lagged behind government targets, but none more so than in the later living sector.

Provision of affordable, high calibre homes for those in later life is critical to both quality of life for residents but also in reducing reliance on public and private sector healthcare. Investment, development, financing and operation of these assets is an increasingly attractive investment both from an ESG and on a positive return on investment basis.

Our experts have experience of acting for investors (both national and international), developers, funders and operators in the later living sector, including in advising on structuring, regulatory and operational arrangements.  Our global network works closely together to ensure that the most up to date market and industry knowledge is shared to ensure that we work collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver a successful result for our clients.

Our experts regularly speak at industry events, author thought leadership articles in the sector and specialise in advising new entrants to the market.

The ideal of homeownership remains a key cornerstone of the property market in England and Wales. Our team has the expertise and experience to deliver a high-quality service to our developer clients who acquire land and buildings to develop homes for open market sale, whether these projects comprise small-scale, high-quality housing, larger housing developments, or residential and mixed-use apartment blocks, in new or refurbished buildings.

Our “full life” cycle approach has been designed to meet our clients’ requirements: the same team deals with the acquisition, funding and sales of new build homes, together with the sale and letting of commercial and amenity space in mixed use developments.

Operating from our locations in Manchester and Guildford, our dedicated plot sales lawyers are a key part of our holistic development team. They advise on the sale of new build homes, both locally and nationally, including high profile, city centre apartment-led schemes.

We are experienced in advising on management structures and service charge regimes, including multi-tenure residential developments. We can also help to overcome the pitfalls associated with the changing legal landscape affecting new build housing and the legislative requirements which our clients need to navigate, whether they are selling, letting or managing residential and commercial space created in developments containing open market housing.

We have an experienced strategic land team who can advise on planning, land acquisitions, option agreements, promotion and collaboration agreements, overages, plot sales and the setting up of estate management companies and estate service charge schemes. We take pride in our ability to simplify complex developments and structure them so that all stakeholder interests are met. We can help landowners unlock development value from their land and help developers navigate the ups and downs of bringing a site forward for development, utilising, for example, our long-standing experience in the sale and purchase of brownfield land and in protecting sellers and buyers from the potential pitfalls associated with its development for residential purposes. We can draw on our extensive experience to recommend quick solutions and we have the technical expertise to structure the most complex developments and partnerships.

The provision of high quality affordable housing has never been more important in order to promote economic growth and social cohesion. It has now become an integral part of the successful delivery of many mixed use schemes. Furthermore, social and affordable housing has the potential to fulfil a key element of the ESG agenda for many investors.

Our team has experience on advising on all sides of transactions, whether that be assisting the local authority or housing association or the private sector body or funder looking to partner with them through a formal joint venture arrangement or alternative strategic partnership or acquisition structures. We collaborate with both longstanding partners and new entrants to the market to guide them through and successfully deliver affordable housing projects, and tenure-blind open market and affordable schemes, balancing the needs of both the public and private sector whilst working within regulatory constraints.