Why Developers need to take Tree Preservation Orders seriously
The importance the law places on upholding Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) should never be underestimated, as North Northampton Council and developers Stanton Cross LLP found to their detriment recently, when the High Court found that 16 ancient lime trees had been unlawfully felled to prepare for the expansion of an access road. Despite a Tree…
Read MoreUnderstanding when you have security of tenure is not always an easy task
Security of tenure for a commercial business tenant brings with it a lot of additional rights, so understanding when a tenant has security of tenure is important but cannot always be established just by looking at a situation head on. Sometime a little deeper digging is required. Recently we had a situation where a tenant…
Read MoreIs a developer’s optimism a problem for lenders?
It was a pleasure to host our first roundtable of the year with MDA Consulting on Thursday 11 April 2024. It was another successful breakfast discussion at the Ivy City Garden where we explored strategies for completing developments on time and on budget. Our guests included debt advisers, funders, residential & commercial developers, project monitors,…
Read MoreCommercial Property Predictions 2024 – Part Two
In the first part of this article we looked at some predictions relating to the commercial property market in 2024, covering areas such as office spaces, residential property and the retail sector. We also provided a brief précis of the wider economic outlook at the beginning of 2024, as extrapolating from the second half of…
Read MoreCommercial Property Predictions 2024 – Part One
It’s always going to be tricky to make forecasts about something as wide-ranging, varied and dynamic as the commercial property sector in the UK, but in this, the first of two articles, we’ve rounded-up some of the key real estate predictions for 2024, as set out by a range of respected and authoritative voices such…
Read MoreThe difference between a licence agreement and a lease – and why it pays to make sure
If you occupy a commercial property or rent one out to a tenant then it’s vital that you understand the principles underpinning the agreement between the two parties, and in particular whether this agreement takes the form of a lease or a licence. The two forms of commercial rental agreement have many similarities but differ,…
Read MoreWestfort Advisors & Newmanor Law Roundtable – Navigating the new property finance landscape
Westfort Advisors & Newmanor Law co-hosted a roundtable event last week, with a group of lenders, borrowers and insolvency practitioners to discuss the commercial property finance landscape and the challenges and opportunities presented by the current market. With values in retreat and lenders remaining cautious about the future trajectory of the market, many borrowers looking…
Read MoreCommercial awareness from legal advisers
Reflecting on a recent conversation with a Newmanor Law client, when we posed them the question, what does good service look like to you, we were surprised by their answer. Firstly, although they had worked with different law firms for decades, we were the first firm to ask them this question. Secondly, after explaining that…
Read MoreLandlords must be careful with rights to break
If landlords ever need a reminder that a decision to exercise a break right in a lease should be backed up by well presented, thought through evidence then the recent County Court case BMW (UK) Ltd v K Group is essential reading. The key term that the Court was asked to decide which is of…
Read MoreUnderstanding the new building safety rules (April 2023)
If there was any doubt surrounding the UK’s building safety regulations, then 2017’s Grenfell Tower tragedy served as a stark reminder to everyone. In the aftermath the government conducted a full review into the cause of the tragedy and the validity of the building and fire safety regulations surrounding it. In 2018, a report entitled…
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