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Construction and Engineering Development

We provide specialist, in-depth expertise for clients across the full spectrum, of the construction industry including developers, occupiers, institutions, banks and consultants.

We advise on procurement strategies, development agreements, building contracts, professional appointments, warranties, third party rights, guarantees and bonds and risk and project management. In addition, our litigators are able to offer strategic and tactical advice to best protect our clients in the event of a dispute arising.

Our work often involves working closely with the firm's real estate lawyers and we can call on support from specialists elsewhere in the firm to advise on matters such as competition, the EU procurement rules, tax and finance.

Key areas of expertise include:

  • Offices and commercial developments: We work with major developers on office schemes, mixed use developments and town centre regeneration. Our experience of different procurement routes and our ability to anticipate the requirements of funders and end users assists the efficient and timely delivery of each project.
  • Residential: we have significant expertise in residential development.  We have a leading PRS/BTR practice, as well as advising on super prime and other residential development.
  • Hotels and leisure: We have particular expertise in the construction of hotels and other leisure developments, acting for developers, end users and funders / investors from the luxury and boutique end of the market to the budget sector.
  • Occupiers: We advise a range of office, industrial and retail businesses on the procurement of new build premises and other facilities as well as fitting out and reconfiguration works. This includes clients in the investment banking, distribution, brewing and retail sectors.
  • Infrastructure and regeneration: Our experience of infrastructure and regeneration projects includes advising on the structuring and development of utility networks and electricity infrastructure, HVDC sub-sea projects, new build renewable energy facilities (along with the construction and operation elements of secondary market investments) and marine works. We advise on EPC, ICC, FIDIC and bespoke forms of contract.
  • Education: We have acted for a number of sixth form colleges, higher education establishments, public schools and charitable foundations in relation to both public sector and privately funded development projects.
  • Arts: We act for various charitable institutions in the Arts. 

Client training
We provide a range of training to keep our contacts up to date with developments in case law and legislation and to deal with particular issues they may be facing. Click here to find out more.

In depth

The King’s Speech: real estate and construction soundbites

Rebecca Delaney, Fiona Bishop , Marica Groundes-Peace 08 Nov 2023
King Charles III delivered his first speech as king on 7 November 2023 from the House of Lords.
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The Building Safety Act – the biggest change to building safety in 40 years

Fiona Bishop , Rebecca Delaney 25 May 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) achieved Royal Assent on 28 April, providing a framework for radical change in the way in which all buildings are to be designed and...
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The Building Safety Bill – what’s new?

Fiona Bishop , Rebecca Delaney 06 Oct 2021
The government’s plans to overhaul the way in which new buildings are designed, built, altered and maintained took a step forward with the publication of the Building Safety Bill...
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Quick reads

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What people are saying

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"They have a great knowledge and understanding of the construction industry and they always provide a quality service."

Chambers UK 2023

"Macfarlanes' grasp of complexities and strategies is outstanding."

Chambers UK 2023

"The team have been professional and attentive, and they go above and beyond expectations to deliver a great service."

Chambers UK 2023

"They provide very personalised client service with a good degree of partner time."

Chambers 2017

Awards

Recent work

Brookfield Properties

Advising Brookfield Properties on the development of Principal Place, including the construction and letting of 430,000 sq ft of office space to Amazon for its new headquarters and the development of a 50 storey residential tower. The development is above incoming main lines to Liverpool Street Station so included a significant interface with Network Rail.

Legal & General

Advising Legal & General’s flagship Build to Rent Fund on the acquisition and development of various sites including real estate, construction and financing elements. We have recently advised on developments and forward fundings at Walthamstow, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Woolwich.

Arora

Advising Arora on the construction and development funding of the Intercontinental Hotel at O2, Greenwich Peninsula (including one of Europe’s largest ballrooms), a 750 key dual branded Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express hotel at Heathrow Terminal 4 and a 355 key hotel directly linked to Terminal 2 at Heathrow.

Grosvenor Square Limited

Advising Grosvenor Square Limited on the redevelopment of the former US Navy Headquarters at 20 Grosvenor Square, London into 34 super-prime residential apartments.

Associated British Ports

Advising Associated British Ports on the £310m development of Greenport Hull, a wind turbine production and assembly facility for servicing the offshore market. The development involved major civil engineering works to create new berths and lay down areas at the port, plus the construction of a state-of-the-art blade factory.

Stanhope

Advising on the transformation of the iconic BBC Television Centre at White City into a mixed use development including housing, office and studio space for the BBC, complementary entertainment and leisure facilities, public open spaces, office and a hotel.

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See all contacts

Angus Dawson

 Partner
+44 (0)20 7849 2419 Email Angus