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Chris Wilkinson

Sector expertise: 

• Commercial property development acting for developers, funders and landowners on retail, leisure, offices, mixed use and industrial/distribution schemes including forward funding, forward purchases, joint venture agreements, development agreements, construction aspects and warranties, rights of light, stopping up orders and planning agreements
• Commercial property – general property work for corporate occupiers including acquisitions, disposals and lettings, and all related property management activity;
• Commercial property investment sales and purchases, including portfolio sales and purchases, sales and leasebacks
• Commercial property asset management -  corporate re-structurings, new lettings, lease renewals and lease regearings

Professional experience: 

• Acts for Cygnet Health in relation to its UK property matters following its acquisition by the UHS Group. Work undertaken has included the acquisition of the Alpha Hospital group and the development of a new hospital facility in Maidstone
• Acting for a number of high net worth individuals investing in the hotel and restaurant sectors including a number of Accor, Travelodge and Premier Inn hotels and various town centre restaurants
• Acts for the Jockey Club in relation to its property holdings. Advising in relation to proposals for the development of land adjacent to racecourses at Sandown Park, Kempton Park and Epsom for complementary uses
• Acts for a number of TV and media companies including Endemol Shine in relation to head office and other property requirements
• Acts for Royal & Sun Alliance Corporate Real Estate in relation to its office requirements, including re-gears of leases in Peterborough, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Horsham. Generally deals with all new leases and property management work
• Acting for Oriel College, Oxford on the management of its office investment portfolio including the re-gearing of leases and disposal of the Endsleigh Insurance headquarters building in Cheltenham
• Acting for KP Snacks on the property aspects of the acquisition of the Butterkist popcorn factory in Wakefield West Yorkshire
• Acted for UK Commercial Property Holdings Limited (managed by Aberdeen Standard Investments) on the forward funding of a warehouse and distribution centre in Burton on Trent. The unit was built by Goodman and let to Palletforce
• Acts for US Government on acquisition of new London Embassy site at Nine Elms and all ongoing related development matters
• Acting for Henry Boot Developments Limited on the development of business parks in Luton and Southend. The Luton scheme comprises a 50 acre site and is to deliver c.65,000  m2 of office and related user space. The agreement with Southend on Sea Borough Council is for the development of c 101 acre site owned by the Council adjacent to Southend airport. Development scheme to be worked up by Henry Boot is to deliver c 100,000m2 of B1/B2 units

Professional history: 

• Trained at Richards Butler (now Reed Smith) and qualified in 1993
• Assistant Solicitor at Richards Butler and Norton Rose 1999 – 2001
• Partner at Maples Teesdale 2001

Memberships of professional / academic bodies: 

• Investment Property Forum
• British Council for Offices