Our expert Housebuilding lawyers deal with all aspects of residential development work for house builders across the private and public sectors. This includes site acquisitions, sales of individual plots and entire sites, collaboration agreements, development agreements, longer term option agreements and promotion agreements and site assembly.
We offer a full service to our clients with an ability to draw upon experts from across MFMac on issues around planning, health and safety, construction, commercial contracts, employment issues and (where required) disputes which may arise.
We advise clients through every stage of residential development, from site acquisition and planning to funding, joint ventures and final sales. Our specialist plot sales team handles the sale of over 2,000 new homes each year, completing transactions smoothly and efficiently while protecting our clients’ interests. With deep sector knowledge and a practical, commercial approach, we help clients move quickly and confidently.
MFMac’s housebuilders team brings together specialist expertise across planning and environmental law, employment, construction and real estate litigation, giving clients the legal clarity and commercial confidence to progress developments and resolve challenges effectively.
With a cross-disciplinary team, our legal offering is agile enough to handle any real estate deal.
Amar advises national housebuilders, lenders and landowners on site acquisitions, development funding and affordable housing transactions, with a focus on complex and high-value deals.
Brian supports leading UK developers with site assembly, option agreements, planning, construction and plot sales, resolving legal risks early to keep projects moving.
David combines real estate and energy expertise to advise developers and landowners on residential and mixed-use schemes, often involving infrastructure and renewables.
Douglas leads MFMac’s planning law team, advising on public inquiries, CPOs and statutory consents for major housing and infrastructure projects.
Gillian advises developers and investors on residential development, landlord and tenant matters and the property aspects of infrastructure and cross-border transactions.
Jonathan specialises in non-contentious construction, advising housebuilders and funders on procurement, contract strategy and resolving insolvency-related project issues.
Rory advises on planning agreements, appeals and regeneration schemes, with deep expertise in housing-led developments and local government matters.
Donna works with developers and landowners on residential development, energy infrastructure and title verification for large-scale projects.
Steph advises developers on land acquisition, option agreements and site setup for residential schemes, with experience in utilities and plot sales.
Donna supports housebuilders and social landlords with property sales, securities and housing grant-funded initiatives, drawing on 25 years’ experience.
We as lawyers are delighted with a developer client's sense of elation when a planning permission is granted. However, we are also too familiar with the client frustration that follows the direction that "planning permission can be granted subject to an appropriate legal agreement being concluded…"
In the planning world before National Planning Framework 4 ("NPF4"), a shortfall against a local development plan's housing land requirement offered a potential route towards development consent for housing on unallocated sites.
The Scottish Government is currently seeking views about a draft guidance called 'local living and 20-minute neighbourhoods' to support the implementation of the National Planning Framework 4 adopted in February 2023. The guidance sets out the benefits and context for building these neighbourhoods, key considerations for local living and ways of supporting the delivery of 20-minute neighbourhoods.
