Commercial Property
Any commercial property transaction needs careful management, whether you are acquiring your first commercial property, or you manage a full portfolio. Using our experience in the UK property market, our large commercial property team will work with you to understand your needs and business strategy and make sure your transaction happens smoothly in line with your commercial objectives.
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Key Commercial Property Services
- Property development, property management, property finance, acquisition and sale of property portfolios
- Full commercial conveyancing service including ownership investigation, searches, enquiries and a review of suitability for your intended use
- Property litigation including boundary and rights of way disputes
- Property telecommunications advice, agreements and leases relating to the Electronic Communications Code
- Construction projects
- Planning consultancy and planning law advice
- Landlord and tenant advice including lease negotiations and lease agreements, assigning/transferring a lease, subletting, dilapidations, surrendering, lease renewal, break clauses and changing the use of the premises
- Leasehold enfranchisement
Retail
Retail is a challenging industry and has been dealing with huge changes in consumer buying behaviours and demands over the last 12 months. Now more than ever retailers are having to adapt quickly, changing the use of their technology and their premises and storage facilities. With our experience in the UK retail sector we understand the challenges and are able to work with you to provide strategic advice and support, enabling your business to retain a competitive edge.
Some of the businesses we work with include:
- Co-operative
- Haskins
- Hobbycraft
Development projects
Our experienced team of property development solicitors can support you in all aspects of property development and regeneration. Working with our combined group of specialists throughout the commercial property department, we can advise you on everything from site acquisition and planning applications through to construction and disposals of commercial space.
Our development specialists advise investors, landowners and property developers to ensure that projects are delivered in line with commercial needs.
Clients we have helped recently include:
- Pirelli
- McAleer Rushe
- Drew Smith
- Forelle Estates
Leisure
The leisure industry is facing a period of rapid transformation, driven by consumer habits, technology and the use of space. You need innovative, commercial advice from your legal team at this time and we have a wealth of experience of working with restaurants, public houses, coffee shops, hotels, holiday parks, marinas, cinemas, sports facilities and theatres and nightclubs, giving us a rounded view of what is happening in your industry right now.
For schools
Our Commercial Property team have specialist experience working with schools and education establishments. We can assist with:
- general property management enquiries;
- leases of education land from local authorities, faith bodies and other organisations;
- tenancies granted to occupiers and users of the educational land;
- building contracts and associated works in connection with building projects carried on at the educational establishment; and
- planning enquiries and applications for the development of educational land.
How we work with you
Whilst based in the South of England, Paris Smith acts for businesses and families throughout the UK. Technology has enabled us to provide a high level of service to our clients whether they are local to our offices or not. Our advice can be given in many ways:
- Over the telephone
- Via video conferencing
- In face to face meetings
We will talk through how you would like to be contacted and the best ways for us to meet in our early conversations with you.
Get in touch to speak with an expert.
Introducing your key contacts
John Mansell
Partner – Head of Property and Development
Stuart Allen
Partner – Head of Property Finance, Winchester
Rachel Saint
Partner – Head of Retail & Leisure
Disputes Services
How we’ve helped our clients
Chambers and Partners Legal Directory 2024
What the team is known for
Paris Smith offers particular expertise in the retail sector, acting for various well-known clients on leases, acquisitions and disposals. The firm continues to carry out commercial development work. Its mandates include multimillion-pound residential development schemes across the South of England. In addition, the firm is experienced in advising on real estate finance matters.
Strengths
“The team has a very strong technical ability and is good at finding compromises in some complex issues.”
“Exceptional legal advice delivered at a sensible price. They are commercial lawyers and are willing to listen.”
Notable Practitioners
Jo Spittles
Joanne Spittles is experienced in acting for both developer and commercial clients. She advises clients on a range of matters spanning development, acquisitions and disposals.
“Joanne is an exceptional lawyer with great commercial acumen. She understands the big issues and always delivers for her clients.”
“She provides an excellent and comprehensive service.”
“A very knowledgeable and professional lawyer. She’s easy to speak to but at the same time is business-focused. Her work is always of the highest standard.”
Legal 500 2024 – Top Tier
The Paris Smith LLP property and planning group is singled out by one client as ‘the perfect place to go for expert advice’, covering the full spectrum of real estate work for major names within the property finance, leisure, and public sectors. John Mansell leads from the Southampton office, bringing extensive expertise on land acquisition and disposals to the group, while the ‘fantastic’ Joanne Spittles regularly handles complex development matters and acquisitions. Rachel Saint focuses on development agreements and conditional contracts, and Winchester-based Stuart Allen deals with structured lending proposals. Claire Long specialises in landlord and tenant issues, while Janet May boasts over 25 years’ experience in the public and private sector. Lisa Busby routinely advises technology companies, while Hannah Winchester acts for national retailers. Sean Hogan is another key contact.
What our clients say:
‘The property and planning department at Paris Smith proved to be the perfect place to go for expert advice. They adopt a very collegiate and professional approach, are well respected in the industry, communicate very well, build constructive relationships between the contracting parties’ legal teams (which is so important) and are also really nice and decent to deal with.’
‘They have all the expertise you need to guide you through what can be a minefield. Costs are clearly laid out and all the work was delivered within pre-agreed budgets.’
‘Joanne Spittles is fantastic, consistently demonstrating not only an incredibly detailed technical legal understanding of land and property development – a complicated area fraught with risk – but also outstanding commercial and negotiating skills, and strong interpersonal skills to succinctly explain complicated issues and enable properly informed decisions to be taken.’
‘I could not recommend Joanne Spittles highly enough as one of the most impressive legal professionals I’ve dealt with.’
‘For a large business they are very friendly and approachable. I’m not a huge customer but I always feel like my business is valued. With a wide range of skills I have yet to find a matter they cannot help me with. Also what I like is that I have a few key contacts I deal with and if my issue needs to be handled by a different person within the firm they will direct me to the correct person.’
‘What make them different is they will make sure I get looked after and follow up. It’s the small things that make the difference. This is all backed up my simple and clear billing – which is done with a bit of common sense. They are about more than just billing!’
Nice to deal with the same skilled people year after year. My two main contacts are Lisa Busby and Joanne Spittles – both have given me excellent service dealing with commercial property matters. I have not had a problem at all in over 10 years. In fact I cannot see me dealing with anyone else for my property matters. From simple things like answering emails or taking phone calls, both have given first class service. They have an excellent attention to detail. Also they know their key area inside out!’
Commercial Property Resources
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