Freeths LLP

Real estate.

Property development with particular emphasis on major projects. In recent years James has acted in some of the largest urban regeneration projects in the country, including in Solihull, Leeds, Derby and Greater London. In acting for private residential and commercial developers, public authorities, funders and housing associations James has developed a holistic understanding of major project and development work and regularly advises upon joint venture and structural agreements, site assembly, development agreements, overage, conditional contracts and options, infrastructure and funding arrangements. Recent projects include: major schemes to regenerate 1970s housing stock in Solihull and Greater London; the £70m extension of Touchwood Shopping Centre for the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull; and a large-scale transfer of New Town legacy assets from the HCA to Milton Keynes Council, in which James headed the 25-strong project team representing the Council and its LLP subsidiary which acquired the majority of the assets in a pioneering use of local authority-controlled companies. James is also advising Bedford Borough Council on several significant development and disposal projects in the borough along with existing clients such as Halton Borough Council, Bassetlaw District Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and the London Borough of Havering on a range of property acquisition, management and disposal projects. For Derby City Council he has advised on the property aspects of a major, 30-year LLP joint venture proposed to be entered into with a private sector partner to transform a deprived inner-city neighbourhood through housing regeneration, and for the past ten years James has been closely advising Bellway Homes Limited in the highly successful public-private housing regeneration scheme covering four wards in the north of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull.

Trained Freeths LLP; qualified 2005; partner Freeths LLP 2013 to date.

Law Society.

Nottingham Bluecoat School; University of Oxford (2000 Jurisprudence 2(1)).