Any real estate development and regeneration project faces a huge range of problems, be they planning, finance, political or legal. In this conference we have brought together a range of experts from Serle Court, GIA, the OPDC and others to dig into the problems that confront developers who are trying to reimagine, reinvent and redevelop real estate for homes, commerce and leisure.
Our Property brochure is available to download here.
Registration will open at 1:00 pm, with lunch available on arrival. The conference will begin promptly at 1:30 pm
Christopher Stoner KC, Andrew Francis and Jerome Webb of GIA Surveyors will give their insight into the state of the law following Cooper v Ludgate House Limited and Powell v Ludgate House Limited [2025] EWHC 1724 (Ch)
One of the most challenging aspects of any development is removing or resolving issues presented by restrictive covenants and troublesome rights of way. In this session Andrew Bruce and Lara Kuehl will expertly guide you through the recent case law from the Upper Tribunal and Courts and tackle effective strategies for developers and objectors.
Insolvency and receivership will often be a significant factor in causing projects to fail. Jennifer Meech will give her expert analysis on the most common insolvency issues affecting developments.
The rise of protests and urban explorers who post their exploits on social media are also major impediments to keeping building work on track. Michael Walsh KC and Matthew Innes will examine the Supreme Court’s decision in Wolverhampton on newcomer injunctions against persons unknown and how to strategically deploy them and other injunctions against unwanted imposters.
Panel: Michael Walsh KC (Chair), Marianne Brook (OPDC), Stevan Tennant (Ballymore) and Julia Krause (Homes England)
In this final panel session Michael Walsh KC will be in conversation with a panel of experts to discuss what makes regeneration projects successful. Marianne Brook is the Development Director at the Mayor of London’s development corporation, the OPDC, and is at the heart of the redevelopment and regeneration of Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area. Stevan Tennant is Development Director at Ballymore and works across a range of residential, retail and commercial projects in London. As Fellow of the RICS with over 30 years’ experience in the property industry, Steve has led mixed-use projects with a combined GDV in excess of £6bn both in the UK and internationally. As Assistant Director - South East of Homes England, Julia Krause leads the South East team within the Markets, Partners and Places Directorate, where she works with partners to identify, develop, and provide support to large-scale, complex and innovative projects across the region.
In earlier panel sessions we will have focused on the legal obstacles to development and how to overcome them. In this session our experts will give their unique insight into the huge range of challenges and opportunities associated with urban regeneration projects.
With over 30 years of surveying experience, Jerome is a highly respected professional in the UK property sector, specialising in Rights of Light and Daylight & Sunlight. Jerome’s background encompasses property, planning, property law, development, and strategic planning, allowing him to offer comprehensive support to clients from site acquisition through planning to on-site delivery and beyond. He is also a highly regarded Expert Witness in Rights of Light litigation and Planning Appeals.
Serving a diverse clientele that includes developers, institutions, public bodies, landowners, and charities both in the UK and internationally, Jerome focuses on strategising and providing innovative solutions to achieve optimal results for clients and end-users. Jerome is a member of the RICS Rights of Light Expert Working Group.
Marianne leads the development team at OPDC. Old Oak is London’s largest new brownfield regeneration opportunity, with plans to deliver more than 8,000 new and affordable homes, 2 million sq. ft of workspace, and a thriving new urban district centred around the Grand Union Canal and local transport hubs, including HS2. With an illustrative masterplan and clear planning policy in place, most of the land assembled, and a CPO underway, OPDC is preparing to launch the procurement process to select its private sector delivery partner. Marianne, formely at Deloitte has over 16 years’ experience working on complex housing and development projects for major clients including Berkeley Homes, TfL, National Grid Property and the NHS. At Deloitte LLP, Marianne was seconded to Homes England and lead significant investment and land ownership agreements including OPDC’s Old Oak scheme, Bristol Temple Quarter and Brent Cross South.
Stevan Tennant is Development Director at Ballymore and works across a range of residential, retail and commercial projects in London. As Fellow of the RICS with over 30 years’ experience in the property industry, Steve has led mixed-use projects with a combined GDV in excess of £6bn both in the UK and internationally.
Julia joined Homes England in January 2024. Prior to joining Homes England, she worked extensively in the public and private sectors where she focused on the delivery of housing and infrastructure projects across the UK. At Homes England, Julia leads the South East team within the Markets, Partners and Places Directorate, where she works with partners to identify, develop, and provide support to large-scale, complex and innovative projects across the region.
We are delighted to invite you to Serle Court’s Property Conference at the Ashworth Centre, Lincoln’s Inn, on Thursday, 11 September 2025. The main conference will be held in the Lecture Theatre, with a drinks reception in the Members' Common Room to follow.
