About
Richard is a partner in Real Estate, specialising in development, historic properties and escheat.
He acts in the development sphere exclusively for landowners, rather than developers and promoters. His client base covers the full range of landowners from traditional land and estate owners, family trusts and national institutions. Typically this involves the long term promotion and disposal of development land by way of option, promotion or hybrid agreement, and many of his transactions involve acting for consortia of landowners, acting as honest broker to them all.
Richard is the lead partner advising The Crown Estate in relation to the management of its Traditional Portfolio, in addition to handling various acquisitions and disposals. He also manages the administration of land reverting to The Crown of common law, under the doctrine of Escheat.
He chairs the firm’s Partnership Consideration Group which is responsible for interviewing all potential Partner candidates.
Experience
- Consortium of landowners: Acting for a consortium of 13 landowners in relation to the creation of Sherford new community in South Devon, comprising over 1,100 acres of land.
- Family trusts: Acting for two family trusts on the grant of a hybrid agreement over land to the north west of Cardiff, now allocated in the local plan for the development of 7,000 homes.
- Guildford Cathedral: Advising on the disposal of surplus land for residential development, with the intention of creating an endowment to secure the long term future of the Cathedral.
- Newbury Racecourse Plc: Advising on the disposal of surplus land for residential development of approximately 1,500 homes.
- The Crown Estate: Advising on the disposal of a portfolio of historic castles and monuments to English Heritage.
- The Church Commissioners and The Crown Estate: Advising on a large number of development sites across the country, often involving equalisation agreements with neighbouring landowners.
Credentials
- Admitted as a solicitor: England & Wales (1996)