Property Development Solicitors
Lawyers for property developers
If you’re looking to buy land or buildings, or develop your own land or buildings, our commercial property solicitors can help. We’ll make sure that the legal decisions made along the way are the right ones.
Our team is on hand to advise you on how to protect your interest in relation to property development, including support with different types of contracts.
Our advice will be honest, straightforward and designed to help you achieve the outcome you seek from your development.
What is an option agreement?
An option agreement gives the buyer the option to buy land from a seller for a limited period.
This can be useful if you want to develop the land once planning permission has been granted and avoid becoming the owner of land which can’t be developed the way you intended.
Typically, an agreed payment is made by the buyer to the seller in exchange for binding the land with an option agreement.
During the limited period the buyer can apply for planning permission for that land and if granted they can exercise the option to buy the land or allow the option to lapse if planning permission is denied.
What is a conditional sale contract?
This is a contract to sell land to a buyer on the condition that the buyer will apply for or successfully obtain planning permission for the land.
If the buyer does not obtain planning permission, then the sale of land will not be completed.
The contract should include details on what the condition is, who needs to satisfy it, how long the party has to satisfy the condition, who will decide whether the condition has been met and whether the parties will share the cost arising from the party satisfying the condition.
Do I need planning permission to develop land or buildings?
Planning permission is usually required if you are building a new dwelling, even if it is on your land.
Some builds such as smaller additions and improvements might fall under Permitted Development which is an implied consent for builds that meet requirements.
However, it is important to check with your local authority before you start building without planning permission and obtain a Lawful Development Certificate as proof that the development was legal at the time of building.
How do I finance a commercial property development?
There are several options for financing a commercial property development, including:
- entering a joint venture with a party that is willing to financially contribute
- entering a limited liability partnership with a party willing to financially contribute
- using equity finance by issuing new shares in your company
- or obtaining a loan
Loans tend to be based on a stage release basis. The initial release of funds is usually only a percentage of the total facility.
When the site has been acquired and the initial loan made, the remainder of the loan is paid out in stages as the building progresses.
The types of commercial development finance available are:
- Building to sell: the loan application will depend on the saleability of the units being built
- Building to hold: if you are planning to hold the build as an investment the lender will look at the rentability of the properties being built, and your ability to secure finance for it when let. Where some or all units have been pre-let it’s more likely your application will be successful
- Building for your own business: the lender will focus on your ability to secure a commercial mortgage once the property is built
Who can I sell my commercial property land to?
You can sell your land to an individual, a company, a joint venture, or a partnership.
Depending on who you sell to, you may need to draw up certain contracts such as a conditional sale contract or option agreement. In which case, it can be helpful to instruct a Commercial Property Solicitor who will be able to advise you on which contracts and provisions you will need and help you draw them up.
Why use Rothera Bray for property development?
We help clients with all legal details in property development, including:
- Options and conditional contracts
- Investigation of sites – checking legal title, restrictive covenants and rights of third parties, and relevant searches
- Assistance with funding – reporting to your lender on the title; liaising with any other professionals involved, such as the lender’s valuer
- Overage provisions – an agreement by a buyer, typically of undeveloped land, to pay a further sum of money to the seller if certain situations arise. A seller often wishes to reserve a right to that further sum on very strict terms, and a buyer needs to ensure the provisions are not so stringent as to blight the land.
- Agreements with service providers – liaising with the relevant company or authority on easements, wayleaves and Section 104 agreements
Send us a message
“We’ll work seamlessly with your property development business.”
Catherine Angrave
Head of Commercial Property
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Posted 10 July 2026
We were extremely satisfied with the service from Rothera Bray during the process of rewriting our Wills and Side letters. Our Wills are complex and our solicitor clarified the necessary changes and took the time needed to ensure we understood the legalities involved. The service was professional but friendly.
Bob and Yvonne Bundick
stars
Posted 10 July 2026
I found Rothera Bray to be professional and responsive. I was glad I used a firm with a local office rather than one of the remote conveyancing companies.
Nigel Wright
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Posted 10 July 2026
Ellie has been very helpful she was always ready to answer any questions/queries I had. Nothing was too much trouble at all. Ellie’s knowledge & expertise of my situation was extremely good. She kept me informed of time frames making sure I was always updated on my completion etc. I would highly recommend Ellie to my family and friends, a very patient professional who has helped me a lot. Rothera Bray have a wonderful member of their team in Ellie Robinson.
Beverley Wyatt
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Posted 10 July 2026
We had the pleasure of dealing with Rothera Bray for our property purchase and specifically Tim Brooke and his team Craig Allsopp and Nikola Dzierzak. Despite a non-straightforward transaction with multiple titles, Tim and his team were excellent from start to finish, always advising us in a timely manner and doing a really thorough job on all the searches and relevant property matters. Once completion took place, Tim and team stayed engaged to ensure the title registration was complete despite the delays at land registry. We cannot thank Tim enough as at several points we thought the property deal might fall through but with the advice, guidance and attention to detail provided by Tim we got there in the end! Thank you.
Prachi
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Posted 9 July 2026
It’s lovely to deal with someone whom makes the process just so easy. Dealing with Talita at Rothera Bray was an absolute pleasure . Very professional and thorough.
Will client
stars
Posted 8 July 2026
George dealt with my settlement agreement, quickly and efficiently. He answered all my questions and put my mind at rest that I was doing the right thing. Thanks.
Julie R
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Posted 8 July 2026
The experience was very good, Millie was very knowledgeable, was quick to respond and brought the matter to a successful conclusion.
Stephen Hughes
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Posted 8 July 2026
Lauren provided me with exceptional support and great advice throughout my case. She is incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and honest, making what was such a stressful process for me much easier to manage. I'd highly recommend her to anyone who might need her services.
Employment Law client
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Posted 7 July 2026
The conveyancing process was smooth from start to finish. Everything was handled efficiently, communication was clear, and the team was polite and professional throughout. I really appreciated how straightforward they made the whole process. Ellie Robinson and Grace Millward Thank you for a great service!
Zak Appleby
stars
Posted 6 July 2026
Thank you to everyone for all your help over a long period of time. Your mannerism and efficiency to solve each issue was most impressive. I have recommended your services to others .What was going on in the background certainly tested my patience and you kept the ship running smoothly.
Daniel P
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Posted 6 July 2026
We have recently purchased a property and had the pleasure of working with Fatima Altaf for our conveyancing needs. She was superb from start to finish, she worked extremely hard and was always professional, friendly and in regular contact with us throughout to make sure we were up to date and well informed of the process. Moving house with a small baby in tow is a tricky process with lots of plates to juggle, but Fatima’s confidence and competence really did make it easier for us and we felt safe and in very good hands with her. We are very impressed and wouldn’t hesitate to use Rothera Bray again in the future.
Hannah Sullivan
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Posted 6 July 2026
I cannot thank Chelsey and the team at Rothera Bray LLP enough for their outstanding support. We were facing a highly stressful motoring matter involving a Section 172 allegation alongside a speeding offence, which originally arose because we never received the initial NIP / request to provide driver details in the post. Chelsey was incredibly efficient, swift and proactive. Thanks to her exceptional legal expertise, she acted immediately to negotiate with the Prosecution, successfully getting the Section 172 charge completely withdrawn before the court date. She resolved the speeding offence smoothly without requiring our personal attendance in Court and secured an incredibly favourable outcome (minimum penalty points and zero prosecution costs). Her communication was clear, fast, and deeply reassuring throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend Chelsey and her firm to anyone who requires legal assistance with motoring matters.
W Cheng
Catherine Angrave
Partner & Head of Commercial Property
Catherine deals with all types of commercial property work and has acquired substantial experience in acting for residential property developer clients in the acquisition and disposal of development land. She’s based at our Leicester office.
Russell Thompson
Partner & Head of Licensing
Russell Thompson is a Partner in the Commercial Property department at Rothera Bray Solicitors and is based at our Lace Market office.
Antony Fyson
Consultant
Antony Fyson is a Consultant at Rothera Bray Solicitors. He works from our Lace Market office and offers clients a wealth of expertise in commercial property, property development and conveyancing matters.
Ed Postlethwaite
Managing Associate
Ed Postlethwaite is a Managing Associate in Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property team and is based at our Derby office.
Marneya Chauhan
Senior Associate Solicitor
Marneya is a Senior Associate Solicitor in our Commercial Property department, based at our Leicester office. He acts for commercial property lenders, property investors and landowners.
Amy Moore
Senior Associate Solicitor
Amy is part of our busy Commercial Property team at our Leicester city centre office. She specialises in commercial leases, renewal leases, and acts on behalf of pension schemes in relation to purchases, sales and lease aspects.
Marika Whiteman
Associate Solicitor
Marika Whiteman is an Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property team and is based at our Leicester office.
Amie Hardy
Solicitor
Amie Hardy is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property department and is based at our Lace Market office.
Danielle Marshall
Solicitor
Danielle Marshall is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property team and is based at our Lace Market, Nottingham office.
Katie Sampson
Trainee Solicitor
Katie Sampson is a Trainee Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property department and is based at our Lace Market, Nottingham office.
Alison Gill
Paralegal
Alison is a Paralegal in our Commercial Property department and is based at our Lace Market office.
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