Muckle LLP has established experience in acting for developers, owners and occupiers on the full scope of real estate mandates and is also increasingly active in the public sector space and in assisting registered providers. The team also has distinct residential development and real estate finance teams and supports the firm’s other departments on corporate and funding deals. Group head Jonathan Combe is a go-to name for development work, while Will McKay and Gail Bennett are active in investment work. James Armstrong is the primary contact for housebuilder clients and recently promoted partner Deborah Lazenby focuses on transactional work.

Ward Hadaway LLP’s built environment team provides property clients with the full range of advice, acting for housebuilders, commercial developers, occupiers, investors and public sector clients. The group also has notable experience in the mining and mineral, leisure, industrial, logistics, social housing and charity sectors, and works closely with the firm’s wider corporate, banking and construction teams. Planning specialist Robin Atkin and development expert Lesley Fairclough jointly lead the department, which also includes Heather Markham, who has ‘a keen commercial perspective’, mining and quarry expert Alex Cox, housebuilder contact Sophie Bohill and public sector expert Saji Bratch.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is praised by clients as ‘always available to give high-quality advice’, which it provides on the full spectrum of real estate issues including investments, developments and regeneration projects. The group has also recently been active in PRS and build to rent projects and the energy, education, retail and transport sectors. Nigel Emmerson and John Ralph jointly lead the group; Emmerson is focused on the housing and residential investment sector, while Ralph handles transactional and real estate finance work. Michael Brown also handles financial matters, Tom Willows advises on residential development sites, and managing associate Emma Garfit assists with residential investments with a particular focus on Central London properties. John Booth departed to an in-house role.

DWF’s ‘incredibly strong and experienced’ practice is led by Richard Lomax, while Newcastle office managing partner Adam Heather leads the UK and Ireland real estate operations practice. Lomax is a key name for investment and portfolio transactions, while Heather is active in developments and regeneration projects. The group’s regional and national clients also benefit from the team’s expertise in forward funding developments and knowledge of the retail, energy, mining and port sectors. Other key names include Mark Tait, who acts for investors and developers, and Lee Pickett, who handles housing matters.

Mark Dobbin heads up the group at Sintons LLP, which excels across commercial real estate matters and developments with additional expertise in the healthcare sector, exemplified by the firm’s dedicated NHS real estate team, and further distinct teams handling real estate finance issues, rural property matters, and faith-based instructions; the latter are often led by Laura Peace. At a sector level, the group is recognised for its energy, waste and renewables, retail and leisure industry knowledge. Alok Loomba advises on real estate transactions, Paul Liddle is active in the energy sector, David Ferguson handles finance mandates, and Tom Wills leads the agriculture work.

Weightmans’ sectoral expertise encompasses matters in the infrastructure, energy, education, retail, leisure and social housing industries, and the practice is also a key name for housebuilder clients. Key names in Newcastle include principal associate Helen Warren, who handles landlord and tenant matters. David Tabinor oversees the practice from Liverpool.