Profile description
As a chancery practitioner Christopher’s practice includes trusts, wills, charities, professional negligence, partnership and company. He acts in such matters in contentious and non-contentious cases. His clients include local authorities, property developers, land owners, business undertakings and private individuals.
Land & Property
A significant portion of Christopher’s practice has always been focused on property. He advises on difficult points, the structuring of transactions and preparing drafts. In recent years transactions involving overage and planning promotion agreements have played a greater role. The spectrum of transactions he is instructed on run from large scale residential and shopping developments to single dwellings or offices.
Clients range from large scale developers, niche builders and local authorities to individual householders. In addition he acts in contentious property matters including disputes over easements, restrictive covenants, enforcement of charges and guarantees, leases and sales of land.
Throughout his years in practice there has been an emphasis on drafting and tackling complex issues.
Examples of work
Non-contentious
- Refinancing by lending consortium secured on commercial property portfolio
- Restructuring of Superstore leasing arrangement
- Advice on enforceability of restrictive covenants
- Advice on assignment of Sharia-law compliant lease
- Drafting regime for carrying out substantial works prior to completion
- Drafting and advising on planning promotion agreement with regard to horticultural land
- Advice on operation of overage agreements and drafting overage provisions
- Advice on drainage surface water from development site
- Drafting of underlease for purpose of dividing up building
- Assignment of interest in trust of flat
- Advice on responsibility for state of cliff face
- Advice for landlord regarding destruction of house let on long lease
Contentious
- Rebutting claim to flat under section 423 Insolvency Act 1986
- Application for title of registered land based on adverse possession
- Enforcement of sharia-law compliant charge
- Opposition to application to register public highway
- Disputes over width of right of way to vacant factory and field
- Enforcement of obligation to carry out works prior to completion of sale
- University of East London Higher Education Corpn v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council and others [2004] EWHC 2710 (Ch) dispute over validity of restrictive covenants affecting Dagenham
- University of East London Higher Education Corp v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council and others (No 2) [2004] EWHC 2908 (Ch) – confirming costs of local authorities on indemnity basis
- Amsprop Trading Limited v Harris Distribution [1997] 2 EGLR 78 – head landlord seeking to enforce covenants directly against a sub-tenant
- Dolgellau Golf Club v Hett [1998] 2 EGLR 75 – Court of Appeal decision on landlord’s opposition to grant of new tenancy on ground that required for landlord’s business
Assets of Community Value
Christopher is a specialist in the area of Assets of Community Value and advises listing authorities, landowners, property developers and community groups.
He has appeared in appeals to the First-tier Tribunal and advised on appeals decided on paper as well as on community nominations, listing decisions and review decisions and the consequences of an ACV listing.
Christopher has prepared a guide to Assets of Community Value providing a comprehensive consideration of the statutory provisions and reported decisions up to 8th June 2018 – PDF copy. He has written many articles on the subject which are to be found under Further Publications.
Examples of work
Non-contentious
- Advice regarding compensation claims
- Advice whether community use is an ancillary use
- Advice on selling development site which is ACV listed
- Advice on impact of partial use of building for community
- Advice on sale of part of listed ACV
- Advice whether golf course qualifies as ACV
- Advice on validity of notice to be treated as bidder.
Contentious
- St. John’s Ambulance v Teignbridge DC acted on behalf of authority resisting appeal over compensation claim. Rebutted claim to capital loss and interest.
- King v Chiltern DC – appeal to First-tier Tribunal concerning listing of public house as asset of community value which owner claimed to be residence
- ZB Investments v Croydon LBC – acted on behalf of the successful authority in ACV appeal concerning conversion of ACV listed public house to flats without planning permission.
- Registered Proprietors of Uptin House v Newcastle City Council – successful appeal on behalf of owners removing building in multiple use from ACV list
- Adams v Ashfield DC – acted for successful authority on appeal by owner of Portland Arms
- Application for leave to appeal to Upper Tribunal
- Appeal of compensation claim
Community Infrastucture Levy
This subject is a particular expertise of Christopher which fits in with his general advisory work on behalf of developers and authorities.
As well as advisory work Christopher appeared in the Planning Court for the successful authority in the first judicial review case on the operation of the CIL regime – R (oao Hourhope Limited) v Shropshire CC [2015] EWHC 518 (Admin). He also advises on the making and drafting of statutory appeals.
To assist with a better understanding of CIL Christopher has prepared a guide.
The seventh edition covers the CIL regime as at 1st September 2019 – [PDF copy]. This covers
(i) the amendments to the regulations up to and including the 2019 (No. 2) Regulations;
(ii) the Court decisions since Hourhope – Orbital, Giordano, Hillingdon Council and Shropshire v Jones;
(iii) the many statutory appeal decisions;
(iv) a new chapter on professional negligence;
(v) the experience gained from the last four years.
The Guide’s previous edition has been retained because the CIL regime without the amendments in the 2019 (No. 2 ) Regulations will continue to apply in Wales until changed – PDF copy.
There are now 165 authorities which have introduced CIL as at 1st September 2019 and these are listed in Part 1 of CIL rates introduced by Charging Authorities. In part 2 there are listed the authorities which have or are carrying out a review of the authority’s current CIL rates – PDF copy.
Examples of work
Non-contentious
- Entitlement to exemption for residential extension
- Complications arising from pre-CIL parent permission and post-CIL section 73 permission
- basement development
- chargeable developments under general consent
- non-compliance and self-build exemption
- construction of enclosed swimming pools
- demolition of football stadium for residential development
- demolition after grant of outline planning permission
- whether conversion of barn self-build
Contentious
- acted for successful authority in judicial review proceedings against decision to refuse demolition deduction – R (oao Hourhope Limited) v Shropshire CC [2015] EWHC 518 (Admin)
- statutory appeal regarding application of indexation element in reg. 128A and subsequent judicial review
- advice on whether to seek judicial review of appointed person’s decision on lawful use of building
- advice on reply to response in surcharge appeal
Commercial
The nature of the transactions dealt with in Christopher’s practice is not limited exclusively to property matters but ranges much wider in the commercial field. It includes drafting distribution agreements and agreements for sale and purchase of shares. On the contentious side it includes matters such as disputes over the sale of companies bringing in issues such as the enforcement of guarantees and the
Examples of work
Non-contentious
- Drafting and advice on distribution agreements
- Advice on shareholders agreement
- Advice on pre-emption rights over shares
Contentious
- Defence of claim for breach of warranty/misrepresentation relating to sale of company
- Action to enforce guarantee in loan notes
- Enforcement of obligation to carry out works prior to completion of sale
- Directors disqualification proceedings
Private Client
As a general chancery practitioner Christopher’s practice includes trusts, wills, charities, professional negligence, partnership and company. He acts in such matters in contentious and non-contentious cases. On the contentious side he has acted in disputes over religious centres
Examples of work
Non-contentious
- Advice on control of religious centre
- Drafted documentation for division of properties held on trust by family
Contentious
- Rebutted application to appoint management trustees running religious centre
- Contested construction of gift in will
- Dispute over ownership of registered land on termination of strict settlement
- Dispute over division of properties held jointly by estates of two brothers
