Norwich development team celebrates 10th anniversary and looks to next decade with new management team

Howes Percival’s Norwich development team, one of the largest and most skilled teams of specialist development lawyers across the Eastern region, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has announced a new management team, promotions and new hires. The team’s impressive client portfolio includes many of the major UK house builders, local and regional developers, landowners, and public sector organisations. They have been involved with many of the region’s largest development projects, providing a range of clients with expert advice on land assembly, planning and delivery. Established in 2011 by Senior Partner, Tracey Hughes, the Norwich development team, offers clients a ‘cradle to grave’ service – from site acquisition through the planning, development, and construction stages, to its ultimate disposal. The team includes specialist lawyers in real estate, real estate finance, environmental law, and construction law and tax. Howes Percival’s development team also boasts its own, nationally recognised, planning team, led by Jay Mehta across the Eastern Region and Paul Hunt across the East Midlands. The planning team advises many of the largest clients within the region and nationally, on all aspects of planning law. Following Tracey Hughes’ retirement, four partners Chris Cubitt (development), Nicola Curle (development), Estelle Corner (social housing), and Jay Mehta (planning) will take the department forward. The team is also celebrating promotions of Tom Skinner to Director, Will Bond to Senior Associate and welcomes Georgie Siddall as a newly qualified Associate Solicitor. The planning team also welcomes Bethany Boucher as a newly qualified Associate Solicitor. Nicola Curle, commented, “Tracey has been a cornerstone in our success over the last decade. She brought together a team of incredible people, including Chris Cubitt who re-joined Howes Percival as partner in 2019 and is recognised locally as a ‘go to’ lawyer for development legal work. We wish Tracey all the very best in her retirement. The succession plan and the smooth handover has been something we’ve been working towards for some time and the strength of the senior team now means that we are in a great position to think about the next 10 years and continuing to grow the practice. “Despite the pressures and difficulties presented by the Pandemic, the development team has continued to provide excellent client service, winning new clients across the Eastern region and being appointed to national legal panels, and continuing to strengthen relationships with its large existing developer client base. Recent addition to the partnership, Estelle Corner, is now expanding her specialist social housing team, and adds, “At a national level, clients are facing challenges in providing much needed, affordable housing in a constantly changing legislative and regulatory environment. Specialist advice in property, planning, construction, and finance from lawyers who understand the issues faced by the sector is essential. “Locally, we’re seeing issues regarding the rural supply of affordable housing, pressures on supply in tourist hot spots and second homes. In growing employment areas such as Cambridge, supply and cost are also key factors.” Jay Mehta, commented “We thank Paul Wootton for his valued contribution over the last 7 years and wish him all the very best in his retirement. The planning team’s reputation at a national level continues to grow, attributed to our specialisms and depth of expertise, and having advised on some of the largest development and infrastructure projects across the country. We are delighted that we have teams of experts within the Eastern Region and East Midlands that are well positioned to serve our client’s needs across these regions and beyond.” Howes Percival has a strong reputation for its commercial property work – receiving top-ranking for three different Real Estate categories in the most recent Legal 500 guide. The Development team forms part of the firm’s Commercial Property department that Legal 500 cites as ‘a specialist and responsive team who are available when required with the advice needed to progress matters efficiently’. For more information on Howes Percival’s Development Team click here.