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- Lease negotiations, rent reviews, and lease renewals all customised to fit you.
Commercial Legal Support for Developers, Investors and Landowners
Whether you are bringing forward your first commercial scheme or managing a complex mixed-use regeneration project, the legal side of property development can make or break a deal. Gurve Legal is a London-based firm of property development solicitors advising developers, investors, and landowners who need sharp, commercially-minded legal support at every stage of the development lifecycle.
We act for both sides of the development relationship. Whether you are a developer acquiring land from a reluctant seller or a landowner negotiating a promotion agreement with a housebuilder, we bring a rounded perspective that helps you achieve the best outcome. Our commercial property team works alongside our corporate and dispute resolution practices so that nothing falls through the cracks on multi-faceted development instructions.
From site identification through to disposal or letting, our property development solicitors provide practical legal advice that keeps your project on programme and protects your position at every turn.
Our Property Development & Regeneration Legal Services
Site Acquisition and Land Assembly
Getting the site right is the foundation of any successful development. Our property development solicitors carry out thorough due diligence on title, easements, restrictive covenants, and overage arrangements before exchange. We also advise on option agreements, promotion agreements, and conditional contracts so you enter into the right deal structure from the outset.
- Title investigations and pre-acquisition due diligence
- Option agreements and conditional contracts
- Overage and clawback provisions
- Promotion and hybrid agreements
- Land assembly from multiple ownerships
Development Agreements and Joint Ventures
Development projects involving multiple parties require robust agreements that set out each party’s rights and obligations from day one. We draft and negotiate development agreements, joint venture structures, and profit-sharing arrangements tailored to the commercial reality of your project. Our joint venture solicitors work closely with the property team to ensure corporate and real estate elements align.
- Development and build agreements
- Joint venture structuring and documentation
- Exclusivity and lock-out agreements
- Infrastructure and delivery agreements
- Profit-share and co-investor arrangements
Planning and Section 106 Advice
Planning permission is central to the value of any development site. Our team advises on planning obligations, Section 106 agreements, and conditions that can affect build-out timescales and project viability. We work with developers seeking to negotiate or renegotiate affordable housing contributions, highway obligations, and other planning requirements. Where planning disputes arise, our dispute resolution team is on hand to advise.
- Review and negotiation of Section 106 agreements
- Planning condition advice
- Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) obligations
- Overage clauses linked to planning outcomes
- Advice on permitted development rights
Property Development Finance and Security
Securing and structuring development finance requires legal input that goes beyond the property itself. Our finance and banking solicitors advise on development loan agreements, security arrangements, debentures, and lender requirements. We act for both borrowers and lenders in development finance transactions, giving us a thorough understanding of what funders need to see before they will release funds.
- Development loan agreements and drawdown conditions
- Security documentation and charges
- Refinancing of development assets
- Acting for lenders on development security
- Advice on funding structures for mixed-use schemes
Regeneration and Compulsory Purchase
Urban regeneration projects bring legal complexity that few solicitors are equipped to handle across both the commercial and public-sector interface. We advise private developers on large regeneration schemes, including compulsory purchase procedures, planning obligations tied to regeneration outcomes, and contracts with local authorities and Homes England. Our team understands the commercial pressures that make regeneration viable and advises accordingly.
- Compulsory purchase order advice for private developers
- Contracts with local authorities and public sector bodies
- Mixed-use and phased regeneration schemes
- Affordable housing delivery within regeneration projects
- Strategic advice on regeneration viability
Disposal, Letting and Exit Strategy
The final stage of any development project needs to be as well-managed as the acquisition. We advise on bulk disposals, plot sales, commercial lettings, and the creation of lease structures that maximise the value of the completed scheme. Where you are disposing of a commercial development or setting up an investment structure, our property investment solicitors can advise on the most tax-efficient and legally robust exit route.
- Commercial lettings and lease structuring
- Bulk disposal and plot sale programmes
- Title splitting and estate management structures
- Service charge and leasehold management advice
- Advice on long-term investment hold structures
Property Development Disputes
Disputes can arise at any stage of a development, from pre-contract disagreements to post-completion defects claims. Our property litigation solicitors advise on development agreement disputes, planning appeals, contractor and professional negligence claims, and boundary or title disputes that threaten to delay your scheme. Early legal advice is always the most cost-effective approach.
- Development agreement disputes and enforcement
- Boundary and title disputes affecting development land
- Contractor and professional negligence claims
- Injunctions and urgent interim relief
- Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
Why Choose Gurve Legal
We Act for Both Sides of the Development Relationship
Most law firms specialise in one side of the development table. At Gurve Legal, we advise both developers and landowners, both investors and promoters, and both borrowers and lenders. That breadth of perspective means our advice reflects the full commercial picture, not just one party’s interest. It also means we know how the other side thinks, which gives our clients an edge in negotiation.
Commercial Advice Focused on SMEs and Growing Developers
Many London development solicitors are structured around large housebuilders and institutional investors. Gurve Legal is built around the needs of commercial SMEs, private developers, and growing property businesses who need high-quality legal advice without the overhead of a City firm. We are accessible, responsive, and focused on getting deals done rather than accumulating billable hours on unnecessary complexity.
Joined-Up Legal Support Across the Development Lifecycle
Property development rarely sits in isolation. Corporate structuring, employment matters, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution are all regularly part of a development instruction. Because Gurve Legal advises across all of these areas, you can draw on a team that already understands your business and your project, rather than briefing a new firm from scratch every time a different legal issue arises.
Plain English Advice That Keeps Projects Moving
Development programmes are time-sensitive. Legal delays cost money. Our property development solicitors give clear, direct advice that helps you make decisions quickly and keep your project on schedule. We do not pad our advice with unnecessary caveats or over-complicate straightforward positions. When issues arise, we identify the practical solution and help you implement it without delay.
Speak to Our Property Development Solicitors Today
Whether you are at the early stages of a site acquisition or navigating a complex regeneration scheme, Gurve Legal can provide the focused commercial legal support your project needs. We work with developers, investors, and landowners across London and nationally, and we take the time to understand your project before we advise on it.
Call us on +44 207 566 1188, email info@gurvelegal.com, or complete the form below to arrange a free initial consultation with one of our property development solicitors.
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