Town Legal LLP is a boutique planning law firm set up at the end of 2016 by some of the leading figures in the planning law sector. Based in London the firm advises on all aspects of planning law, across England and Wales and acts for a range of clients including developers, landowners, and public authorities. One of Town Legal’s partners is a leading planning barrister, which is one of the things that sets Town Legal apart and provides added value to its clients, in terms of the quality and speed of advice. The firm was voted the country’s most highly rated planning law team in the country in Planning Magazine’s 2019, 2020 and 2021 annual law survey.
Brief
Town Legal occupied a small office at 1 London Wall Buildings (close to Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations) in the core of The City on a relatively short-term (as befits most start-ups) sublease from another tenant in the building. Its immediate landlord had the opportunity to exercise a break option and reduce its own footprint and cost base conditional upon delivering vacant possession of the entire premises at the date of termination to include Town Legal’s office space. Since the building was in a state of managed decline (with poor common parts) Town took the decision to look for new premises elsewhere and tasked McCalmont-Woods with managing the relocation process. A thorough review of the office market identified various options considered potentially suited to relocation albeit with a clear favourite reflecting the partnerships key selection criteria of location, size & configuration and lease & rental terms.
Outcome
Negotiations were successfully concluded for Town Legal to acquire circa 5,000 sq ft newly refurbished Grade A offices at 8-10 Throgmorton Street, EC2 on a new 10 year lease (incorporating a fifth year tenant only break option) from ICL Pension Trust Limited. Town’s new office premises benefit from high ceilings and excellent natural light and following a high-quality fit-out (by Peldon Rose) now provide Town Legal with prestigious modern offices (as befits a leading boutique law firm) in the heart of the City of London.
Clare Fielding, Partner and co-founder
“Nick recently advised us (Town Legal LLP – we are a specialist planning law firm) on taking a 10 year lease of 5,000 sqft at Ten Throgmorton Avenue EC2. Nick was an absolute pleasure throughout, and we had the benefit of his wise counsel, commercial nous and great sense of humour. From a tenant perspective, we couldn’t recommend him more highly.”
