Gail Bedford

Overview

I am a Senior Associate in the Transactional Real Estate team at Michelmores, specialising in strategic land and residential development. I work with both local and national house builders on a range of commercial property, land and development matters – from strategic land acquisition for residential development through to site assembly for open market plot sales and affordable housing disposal.

I am experienced in dealing with contracts conditional on planning, option agreements and development agreements. I have particular expertise in setting up freehold and leasehold residential development schemes, as well as acting in the sale of affordable housing usually on a golden brick and phased basis.

I joined Michelmores in 2014 and it has been a privilege to work with developers and landowners in the delivery of a number of strategic sites through to development stage and sale, including all matters that arise between allocation and site exit (from financing arrangements, overage, transfers and easements to service providers, to site compound licences!) It means I am able to advise on all aspects of residential development with a comprehensive understanding.

I work proactively and have a positive approach.

Recent experience

Acting for a regional housing developer in relation to the sale of 79 housing units over three housing developments in 7 golden brick phase transfers with a total contract value over £11m with conditionality linked to section 106 agreement variations and acquisition of further land.

Acting for a national house builder in relation to the sale of 56 housing units in 9 golden brick phase transfers with a total contract value over £2.5m involving a complex funding and contracting structure taking into account SDLT positioning for a non registered provider of affordable housing. This involved a bespoke suite of documents including separate land and build contracts supported by financial and performance parent company guarantees and deeds of covenant.

Acting for a developer and construction company in connection with a tri-partite agreement for the sale and construction of 108 affordable housing units at a purchase price of over £4m, back to back with a JCT Design and Build contract with a works value of approximately £22m. This involved conditionality around the grant of a satisfactory planning position, the resolution of title defects, and issues around nutrient neutrality.

Supporting Emma Honey, Lucy Smallwood and Chloe Howard-Smith in the acquisition of residential development sites on behalf of both substantial regional and national property developers, often structured by way of conditional contracts and option agreements. The transactions often involve tailor-made reporting which identify not only development issues but also highlight matters which could impact on future sales.

Managing the assembly of a large 400-unit site over two phases for plot sales, involving freehold and leasehold structuring and discount open market units, management agreements, and contracts for the sale of freehold reversion of leasehold blocks. These matters often require multi-disciplinary advice from the planning and infrastructure team and the corporate team, as well as working closely with our new homes team.