The Geldards LLP real estate team’s key work streams arise from residential and commercial developments in the industrial and logistics, public sector, education, utilities, and motor retail sectors. Graham Banks leads the practice out of the Derby office, where he is a specialist in operational property, project finance, and property investment and development. Heather Dixon is a stand-out name for the delivery of complex property transactions, while Neil Walker chiefly focuses on major project work. Other key names in the team are Paul Hilsdon, who engages closely with universities, FE colleges, and multi-academy trusts, and Jay Atubra, who has a growing caseload from independent electricity and fibre optic network operators and gas transporters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The Geldards' Real Estate team at each level offers great customer service and care, and a strong sense of commercial awareness of knowledge of problem-solving.'
- 'Heather Dixon - absolutely outstanding. Reactive, alert, and when sharing commercial issues on a transaction, inevitably offers advice on how to solve some of the issues which can save time and ensures that a greater and more balanced depth of advice is offered at every turn.'
- 'Detailed knowledge of the education sector and property matters. Attention to detail, full understanding of the public sector and limiting requirements, as well as the machinery of government.'
- 'Goes above and beyond what is required on the job.'
- 'Heather Dixon is a stand-out - attentive, knowledgeable, and with the ability to make something complex easy to understand. Heather always has a sight on the potential risks of proposals, which help inform our decision making.'
- 'The team has made a real effort to understand my business and the constraints within which we have to work, the return of which has been strong negotiations in our favour, which ensure we comply with our regulators.'
Key clients
- Liverpool City Council
- The Coal Authority
- Tanro Limited
- Scrivens Limited
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Westmorland and Furness Council
- Cumberland Council
- Mansfield District Council
- Harbrough District Council
- Clowes Developments (UK) Limited
- Cavendish & London Property Group Limited
- March Property Developments Limited
Work highlights
Advising Clowes Developments (UK) Limited on its deal with international investor Hines for the development of 1.15 million sq. ft of high-quality logistics space across the East Midlands.
Advising Liverpool City Council in relation to funding agreements with Homes England (via the Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Grant Funding programme) and with Peel Group in relation to Peel’s proposed next phase of its Liverpool Waters scheme (the 10.5 Ha Central Docks area).
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Graham Banks; Neil Walker; Jay Atubra
Other key lawyers
Heather Dixon; Paul Hilsdon