Christopher specialises in strategic development and land assembly work for developers, volume housebuilders, landowners and private investors and the delivery of residential housing development. He has over 10 years' worth of experience of significant projects in the South West, advising on site acquisitions whether by way of negotiated option agreements or conditional contracts, promotion agreements, section 106 or sectional agreements and subsequently dealing with estate set-up, disposal and charging/refinancing arrangements.
In addition, Christopher has direct experience of the sector through a number of family owned housebuilder businesses, gaining a further insight into the construction and development processes.
Experience
Examples of recent previous experience include advising:
- a regional developer in the acquisition of multiple sites in Devon, dealing with estate set-up procedures and subsequently in dealing with the sale of executive homes with overall GDV figures ranging between £2.5m and £3m
- a norwegian developer in the purchase of a landmark Grade 2 listed building in Truro, Cornwall for conversion into a hotel with the construction of 60 ‘aparthotel’ units and new-build flats in the grounds
- a strategic land assembly firm on the purchase of land in North Devon for £2.4m for the construction of fast food and retail premises together with a back to back sale contract for the sale of part of the site (on a subject to planning basis) for the construction of a food retail superstore
- a developer in the estate set-up and plot sale disposals of six luxury farm conversion dwellings with an estimated £3.5m GDV
- a strategic land assembly firm in the purchase of 10 acres of development land by way of conditional contract and back-to-back sub-sale to a national house builder at £2.4m
- a landowner in the sale of six acres of development land to a national house builder for the construction of 120 new homes
- a landowner in the negotiation of a Promotion Agreement involving 20 acres of potential town expansion land in South Devon (Ivybridge) including the variation of adverse terms set out in two historic overage agreements taken on original acquisition of the land
- a landowner in the sale of 50 acres of development land in Tavistock to Taylor Wimpey for the construction of up to 820 new homes involving the reinstatement of the Tavistock to Bere Alston railway line. This was a collaborative venture involving another landowner and ‘omni-option’ documentation
- a landowners in the sale of a farm on an 11 lot basis and the acquisition of replacement land on an option basis for £2m
- a regional developer in the sale of land at to a Regional Housing Association for the construction of 16 units of affordable housing.
- landowners in the sale of land in Wembury, South Devon for the construction of 34 new homes.
"Christopher Stephens was our main point of contact he was extremely easy to work with his knowledge was excellent, additionally he was able to deal with issues as they arose. The combination of his expertise and personality make him professionally unique."
Sue Bodenham, Ryde House Care Group Limited
