Land & Development Solicitors

Why instruct our Land & Development lawyers?

We pride ourselves on a dynamic, collaborative and proactive approach to Land and Development transactions, whether in our capacity as acting for developers, landowners, land promoters, investors, or builders. We understand the need to fulfil commercial and strategic ambitions in a timely fashion, with involvement at the earliest stage possible.

We are ‘dealmakers’ and offer a comprehensive start-to-finish service, with an experienced team on hand to facilitate the structuring of any given transaction in an innovative manner.

All of our land lawyers are relationship-focused individuals that avoid using legal jargon. We pride ourselves on our modern approach, approachability, and responsiveness.

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We build long standing relationships and get the job done

Our team are highly experienced, professional and pragmatic.

Our Land Development department has expertise in all aspects of residential and commercial development, to include but not limited to the following:

Our experience in property and land development includes:

  • Sale of a former residential site with the benefit of a bespoke award-nominated planning permission to construct care accommodation at a sale price of £5.5 million.
  • Various mezzanine finance facilities for developers, some of which were in excess of £10 million.
  • The creation of a bespoke building agreement for an award-winning local developer specialising in the design and development of some of the best new-build prime and super prime properties in the south of England.
  • Acting for a well-established London based developer in respect of various development sites, to include an iconic development in a suburb on the southern edge of London comprising contemporary one, two and three-bed apartments.
  • The acquisition and associated finance legal work in respect of the Burderop Park estate comprising seven plots, several of which have been redeveloped or refurbished, to include seven luxury heritage homes, the refurbishment of the Grade II* listed manor house and the ongoing development of the Tudor wing into residential townhouses.
  • Acting on behalf of an award-winning local developer in the acquisition and disposal of various development sites with multi-million-pound GDVs.
  • Portfolio refinances for investor clients, with many in excess of £10 million.
  • Acting for a Salisbury based landowner in respect of an option agreement for the development of over 500 homes.
  • Advising on promotion agreements for 100+ home residential developments.
  • Advising on a joint venture agreement for the development of a mixed-use site involving listed buildings.

 

Whatever your goal, whatever the size and scope of your project, our highly experienced, pragmatic team are here to support you, advise you and get the job done.

What does a land development solicitor do?

A land development solicitor provides specialist legal advice throughout the entire development process. We handle land acquisition, planning agreements, development finance, construction contracts, and property disposal.

Our expertise in land development law ensures your project complies with zoning regulations, environmental requirements, and planning obligations while protecting your commercial interests.

Your development solicitor acts as your strategic partner from day one. We don’t just draft contracts, we structure transactions to minimise risk, maximise value, and keep your project on track.

At Awdry Law, we’ve seen what can go wrong when developers try to handle complex legal issues alone. Our early involvement prevents costly mistakes and positions your development for success.

What legal issues should I consider when buying development land?

When acquiring land for development, you’re making one of the biggest investments in your project. Key considerations include title investigations, planning constraints, restrictive covenants, environmental liabilities, access rights, and infrastructure obligations.

A thorough legal due diligence process identifies potential issues that could impact development viability or delay your project timeline.

We regularly see developers who thought they’d found the perfect site, only to discover restrictive covenants prohibiting development, or ransom strips that give neighbours control over access.

Our due diligence process uncovers these issues before you commit, not after. We investigate everything to ensure you know exactly what you’re buying and what it will cost to develop.

Do I need specialist legal advice for small development projects?

Yes, even small developments involve complex legal issues including planning compliance, building regulations, environmental assessments, and contract management.

Early legal involvement helps avoid costly mistakes and ensures your project runs smoothly from acquisition through to completion.

We often hear from developers who tried to handle smaller projects themselves, only to encounter problems that cost far more than proper legal advice would have.

Planning conditions that can’t be discharged, construction contracts that don’t protect against delays, or sales agreements that fall through due to title defects.

The legal cost of doing things right from the start is always less than the cost of fixing problems later.

How long does the land development legal process take?

The timeline varies significantly depending on project complexity, planning requirements, and financing arrangements.

Simple acquisitions with existing planning consent may complete in 8-12 weeks, while strategic land deals involving planning promotion can take 2-5 years from initial agreement to final disposal.

What matters most is setting realistic expectations from the start.  Our role is to identify potential delays early and keep your transaction moving.

When planning issues arise or finance approval takes longer than expected, we proactively manage these challenges to minimise impact on your development.

What our clients say:

“We work with Tim Hotchkiss and his team on the majority of our property transactions covering acquisition, sale and build agreements. Tim’s Land & Development team’s attention to detail, proactive nature and responsiveness has always kept us coming back for more and we see Awdry Law as a very important part of the team here at Sherbourne Developments.”

Bruce O’Grady, Managing Director of Sherbourne Developments Group Limited.

“I’ve been working with Tim Hotchkiss and his team over the last 5 year with over 40 transactions completed during that time. I couldn’t imagine working with anyone else. The team is efficient, effective and personable. I’ve felt everyone in the team and the wider office has truly had my back and thoroughly enjoy working with them.”

Arthur Dallimer of William Arthur Property Ltd

“Tim has represented me for several years on a variety of development projects including acquisitions, funding, resales as well as more complex matters such as restrictive covenants and stamp duty reliefs. Tim is efficient, prompt and diligent and demonstrates excellent technical expertise and a sense of urgency when dealing with issues. The advice he offers has often proved to be invaluable. I have no hesitation in recommending Tim and his team.”

Ejaz Haq of Tangent Developments Ltd and Parkside Property Ltd

“Tim gave me complete confidence that he was on top of all aspects of this transaction from start to finish. It was refreshing to work with a legal team that responded to enquiries quickly and efficiently, thus keeping my stress to a minimum at difficult times.”

Darren Brogden, Director of Brytr Properties

 

Why wait? Speak to our Land Development Solicitors today…

We are one of the largest commercial property teams in the region, with offices in Chippenham, Devizes, Marlborough, Royal Wootton Bassett, and Swindon.

For expert advice regarding the development of residential or commercial land, don’t hesitate to contact our team on 01793 384140 or complete our quick enquiry form below.

Contact a member of our Land & Development Solicitors team today.

Tim Hotchkiss

Partner and Head of Land & Development

Molly Brinton-Smith

Paralegal, Commercial

Georgia Gibson-Perry

Solicitor, Commercial

Anna Munro

Senior Associate, Solicitor, Commercial Property

Kyle Richards

Associate, Registered Foreign Lawyer, Commercial

Lowri Thomas

Solicitor, Commercial

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