Slaughter and May advised Legal & General on the acquisition and leaseback of a portfolio of 27 public houses with Marston's Plc for a total purchase price of £69.71 million. The leases to Marston's are for a 40-year term yielding a total annual rent of £3.79 million. The portfolio is comprised of eight long leasehold and 19 freehold public houses, the majority of which are newly built. Marston’s has an option to buy back the properties at nil consideration at the end of the term.

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Trowers & Hamlins has advised on a second joint venture between residential developer Mount Anvil and leading national housing provider, Affinity Sutton, which has secured funding from Barclays for a £100 million luxury residential scheme in west London.

The Farm Lane development, expected to complete in spring 2015, will comprise 107 spacious new homes, of which 18 will be for “Discounted Market Sale”.  The development will be an exclusive gated community and will feature a 24-hour concierge, spa, landscaped gardens and 100 parking spaces.

International law firm Olswang LLP has advised long-standing client Heron International on the signing-up of four new occupiers at its iconic London skyscraper. This included the single largest letting to date and raises Heron Tower's occupancy rate to approximately 60 per cent.

Internationally Renowned Brand Set To Flourish Following Rescue Deal

The Sheffield office of law firm, Irwin Mitchell, has advised specialist architect firm, HLM, on a strategic investment which has seen it acquire and rescue the internationally recognised Llewelyn Davies brand.
 
Llewelyn Davies, a leader in hospital design with an established reputation built up over 53 years, has delivered over 250 major hospitals in 75 countries, as well as influencing healthcare masterplanning across the world.
 

Slaughter and May advised Barratt Developments PLC ('Barratt'), on its entry into a 50/50 joint venture, Rose Shared Equity LLP ('Rose'), with a fund managed by Anchorage Capital Group LLC ('Anchorage').
 
Under the terms of the joint venture, which were announced on 15 May 2013, the Barratt group’s shared equity loans that originated in the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2011 have been transferred to Rose. Anchorage acquired a 50% interest in Rose for approximately £34 million.

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Slaughter and May advised Barratt Developments PLC ('Barratt'), one of the largest house building groups in the UK, on the agreement of a complete debt refinancing package.

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Leighton Properties on securing a major tenant pre-commitment and pre-sales in Kings Square, Perth, WA, in what will be the largest commercial property pre-sale in Western Australia.

Tokyo: Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised Ascott Residence Trust (Ascott Reit) on its acquisition of a portfolio of 11 rental housing properties in Japan for JPY9.2 billion from ACRJ3 Pte Ltd, an 88.9% owned subsidiary of The Ascott Limited. The properties have a total of 959 apartments located across six cities in Japan.

This deal is part of a wider transaction involving Ascott Reit acquiring, in addition to the Japan properties, three prime serviced residences in China.

Deal Set To Lead To Construction Of New Warehouse

National law firm, Irwin Mitchell’s Real Estate team has advised key client Gazeley UK Limited on another transaction at Magna Park, Milton Keynes, with John Lewis plc. Gazeley is to construct a “build to suit” warehouse of approximately 675,000 square feet for the retailer.

This will be connected to John Lewis’s existing distribution facility at the site which Gazeley also constructed for them in 2007.

Irwin Mitchell Advises On Sale Of Site in Worcestershire

The Sheffield office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell has advised Hallam Land Management on a major deal in respect of a site at Evesham in Worcestershire, which will lead to the creation of 56 new homes as well as the development of public open space in the town.

The sale of the part-brownfield site in Evesham to Bovis Homes will provide both market and affordable housing close to the centre of Evesham, overlooking the River Avon.