Construction companies | Hotels and leisure | Retail | Public sedctor | Regeneration and development


As the "Legal Business Real Estate Team of the Year 2006" we can offer you market leading expertise across all your real estate business needs.

Our clients operate across the full spectrum of business sectors within the real estate industry and we can provide advice and support to all sizes of organisation. Our national and international network ensures that wherever your business operates we can provide vital local knowledge supported by the same high quality service.

Investors and corporate occupiers
Businesses are increasingly aware of the importance of their real estate in helping them to achieve their goals. Our knowledge of the drivers as well as the underlying legal issues is key to our advice to both occupiers and providers on buying, selling, managing and leasing land. For investors, a detailed understanding of your investment needs and a critical eye on your return govern our approach. For corporate occupiers, we understand the need to provide a real estate strategy that matches business operations with the need to enhance flexibility whilst minimising cost and risk and, where appropriate, releasing capital for business.

We provide a full range of services for our clients from traditional real estate transactions to developing areas such as real estate partnerships and outsourcing. Our practical approach translates into cost effective negotiations tailored for each transaction. In addition, our network of offices across England and Scotland as well as globally enables us to service the needs of those responsible for geographically diverse portfolios.

Our clients
Our clients include: AXA Sun Life, Blackstone, Coal Pension Properties Limited, Cooperative Insurance Services, CWS Pension Fund, GE Capital Real Estate, Medical Research Council Pension Fund, Oppenheim, Royal Liver Assurance, Unilever Pension Fund and Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited.

Examples of our work

• acting for Blackmoor LP on the sale of Centre Point, London WC1A to another DLA Piper client, Targetfollow Group (value £85m)
• acting for The British Land Company plc on the forward purchase of the St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre in Hull (value £130m)
• acting for Mapeley on its acquisition of Microsoft's UK Headquarters at Thames Valley Park, Reading (value £104m)

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Construction companies

From straightforward buildings to civil and process engineering projects, we are familiar with all aspects of the construction and engineering industries. We can assist throughout the whole life of a development programme, from risk analysis and risk allocation to preparation of all types of construction contracts and documents. On contentious matters we represent both public and private sector clients in litigation, arbitration and adjudications and we have extensive experience in all forms of alternative dispute resolution procedures such as mediation and conciliation.

Our clients

Our clients include: Akeler, Alfred McAlpine, County Properties Group, David McLean Group, Liberty Properties plc and M J Gleeson Group.

Examples of our work

• acting for Akeler Developments Ltd on the construction of the new BP Headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland's largest development deal in 2005
• acting on behalf of Tyco International on various large scheme contracts and framework agreements concerning UK and International water treatment projects

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Hotels and leisure

Our hotels and leisure team supports all aspects of buying, managing and selling the diverse range of real estate in this industry, helping our clients to develop their businesses in the UK and globally. Our expertise also extends to gaming and licensing, environmental, health and safety and human resources issues. We have a track record in providing comprehensive advice in relation to the particular property holding structures and management arrangements that characterise the hotel sector. As this sector moves increasingly towards new methods of financing, our experienced team can provide full support.

To ensure we remain at the forefront of our clients' interests, we keep a keen involvement with industry-focused groups both internationally and in the UK. In March 2006 we sponsored the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin, where we sat on the advisory panel. In the UK, we work closely with groups such as Tourism for All, The Disability Partnership and The Disability Rights Commission as well as The Hotel and Catering Personnel and Training Association. We are also the legal advisers to the World Travel and Tourism Council of which we are the only international legal practice to be a member.

Our clients

Our clients include: Pub Estate Company, Pubmaster Group Ltd, Savoy Hotel Group, Six Continents plc, UCI Cinemas and Wolverhampton & Dudley Brewery.

Examples of our work

• acting for Yianis Docklands Hotel Limited of the Marriott Hotel at West India Quay in London Docklands (value £110m)
• acting for The People's Restaurant Group Limited on the purchase of "Little Chef" (235 "Little Chef" units - value £52m)
• acting for Compass Group on the preparation for sale of the Moto motorway service area estate (38 service areas)

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Retail

The retail sector is marked by the demands of rapid consumer-led change. From large scale portfolios to single unit deals, we provide solutions in step with sector demands. We have a thorough understanding of the objectives of landlords, occupiers and developers. Pooling these perspectives is the key to our innovative approach. Our advice reflects realisable strategies for achieving success. From the high street, to shopping centres, and out-of-town retail parks, we help position our clients in the market ahead of the game.

In retail work, more than most, a sophisticated understanding of the commercial markets in which our clients operate is as important as technical legal knowledge. Our offices across England, Scotland and globally enable us to ensure a consistent approach, uniformity of standards and exchange market information to keep pace with this fast-moving market.

Our clients

Our clients include: Boots the Chemist, Claire's Accessories, Dixons Group Property Limited, Dolland & Aitchison, Halfords, John David Sports plc, Porcelanosa, Poundland, Selfridges, Staples UK, T&S Stores plc and The Co-operative Group.

Examples of our work

• acting for Blackstone on the sale of Triangle Shopping Centre, Manchester
• acting for Boots on the acquisition by lease and construction of its new headquarters and flagship store on Oxford Street. The Shop Agents Society has awarded this store with its Most Innovative New Shop or Store Award for 2006
• acting for Virgin Retail on all aspects of their retail property portfolio including over 100 Virgin Megastores

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Public sector

An increasingly complex statutory framework and ever changing policy considerations, especially financial ones, provide a challenging context for public sector development and regeneration. With considerable experience working with public sector organisations, we appreciate the particular constraints affecting these organisations and recognise the importance of being alive to the political dimension in which they work. Public bodies are under the scrutiny of Parliament, the media and the general public at all times and our understanding of this helps us assist our clients to meet the challenges of delivering value to public stakeholders nationally and locally.

From the formation of development vehicles to securing finance for large scale developments and the legal framework for grant funding, we have experience in advising both public and private sectors on large scale projects.

Our clients

Our clients include: Birmingham City Council, Cheshire Police Authority Department for Work & Pensions, English Partnerships, Olympic Delivery Authority and Sheffield City Council.

Examples of our work

• acting for Catalyst Healthcare (Manchester) Limited, a consortium of contractors and investors, on the real estate aspects of the Manchester Children's Hospital PFI (project value £400m)
• acting for Leeds City Council on the real estate aspects of the procurement via PFI of five new secondary schools and a primary school (project value £110m)
• acting for Merseytravel in relation to its procurement of the new Merseytram light railway scheme and the new Liverpool South Parkway Railway Interchange

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Regeneration and development

Successful regeneration requires a comprehensive approach in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of regeneration projects. Key economic, social, environmental and cultural factors need to be accounted for if the development is to be a success. We work with both public and private organisations in ensuring that the long-term economic and non economic outputs of regeneration schemes are achieved.

We have a long-established regeneration practice based upon our extensive experience of real estate and infrastructure development. Our work involves preparing and negotiating robust funding and development agreements, creating joint venture vehicles to deliver the project and establishing long term management and other mechanisms to ensure the project is sustainable. We act for grant-making bodies in the provision of funding for projects as well as for recipients.

Our clients

Our clients include: Persimmon Homes, Ropemaker Properties Limited and Swindon Borough Council.

Examples of our work

• acting for English Partnerships on the redevelopment of The Kings Waterfront regeneration site in Liverpool. We have been named the Real Estate Team of the Year 2006 by Legal Business for our work on this transaction
• acting for AMEC Developments Limited on the redevelopment of Chatham Street in Reading
• acting for Keepmoat Regeneration and Gleeson Regeneration on their involvement in the Liverpool Housing Market Renewal Initiative Pathfinder Project to regenerate failing housing areas by the use of local authority led compulsory purchase and voluntary acquisition in conjunction with private sector developers

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