The relationship Hammonds built with Eatonfield Group on its AIM listing has paid off, with the firm acting on the developer’s acquisition of an 87 acre brownfield site from Corus.
Property partner Brian Green led the team acting on the northwest of England deal, which encountered problems when it came to mapping the land under sale, with the large scale of the site meaning that 13ft-long plans had to be used.
“Corus didn’t quite know what it owned and what it could sell. It was in occupation of land it didn’t actually have titles to,” said Green, who worked alongside corporate partner David Armitage and property lawyer Gina Moxey out of the firm’s Leeds office.
Green added that the problems were resolved through co operation with the land registry and use of satellite imagery.
The land at Workington, west Cumbria, which had been the location of a manufacturing depot, will be turned into a £100m mixed-use development as part of Eatonfield’s ongoing expansion plans.
Hammonds began working with the developer prior to its AIM flotation in November 2006. The client came to Hammonds through a personal connection – Eatonfield CEO Rob Lloyd studied at the same North Wales school as Armitage. The firm has since been retained as Eatonfield’s official adviser.
Senior associates Louise Holden and John Edwards from Pinsent Masons Birmingham office advised Corus.
