Leanne is Head of our Real Estate team, advising clients on both public and private sector aspects of commercial property law.
Leanne leads our Real Estate Division and sits on Capital’s Executive Group – she has over 25 years’ experience across all aspects of legal Real Estate, having trained with Evesheds before joining Capital in 2005.
Outside of Capital Leanne is a Director of For Cardiff (Cardiff’s Business Improvement District) a business led, not for profit organisation with ambitious plans to transform the City Centre.
Early career, Leanne built a reputation in the real estate finance markets, working with clients such as Investec Bank, Allied Irish Bank and Santander including financing agreements for multiple high-end hotel developments delivered under a Joint Venture vehicle with the McDonald Hotel Group.
Leanne later developed an interest in complex land assembly, development and major project work, overseeing Glyndwr University’s acquisition of Wrexham Football Club’s home ground, and on collaboration agreements between Glamorgan Cricket Club, Cardiff Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board to facilitate re-development of Glamorgan’s home ground.
She now regularly takes the lead on cross firm/multi-disciplinary projects representing clients across the public and private sectors – most recently for LanzaTech UK on its Waste to Jet Fuel Production facility, the initial phase of which is valued at £400mil.
Leanne has a keen interest in the Healthcare and Education sectors, in particular Education Estates. She is currently overseeing phase 2 of Bridgend College’s £60mil campus development which (as part of a wider masterplan) will unlock regeneration in the Town Centre. Leanne also, led on phase 1 of Bridgend College’s award-winning STEAM Academy development which opened its doors in 2021.
Her key clients include LanzaTech, Land Securities, University of South Wales, Bridgend College, Ascona Group, Valleys to Coast Housing Association, Howard Tenens Properties, AJM Healthcare Limited, Shaw Healthcare Limited. Private developers Brockwell Group and Randall Watts are new to our key client group.
Expertise
- Commercial Acquisition and disposal
- Owner/Occupier
- Commercial, residential and mixed-use developments
- Complex Land Assembly, Joint Ventures and Collaboration Agreements
- Real Estate Finance
- Energy project
Sectors
- Education Sector
- Social Housing Sector
- Healthcare
Recent work
Bridgend College
Advising Bridgend College on its 120-acre landholding and on sustainability issues across its estate. We founded a steering group with our trusted network which supported the College in developing a strategy, tapping into public funding and unlocking delivery of its £30mil STEAM Academy Development. We’ve moved onto Phase 2, involving collaboration with the Local Authority on a town centre regeneration project – this will be underpinned by a +£60mil state of the art campus building with the College as lead developer.
The Royal Mint
Advising the Royal Mint on collaboration agreements with Infinite Renewables Group Ltd to deliver low carbon energy solutions for its facility in Llantrisant. Our involvement in the project has been specific to the development of a wind turbine scheme and a combined heat /battery storage scheme on land adjoining the Llantrisant site.
ABP and the Welsh Development Agency
Advising a joint initiative between ABP and the Welsh Development Agency, working to reclaim the former industrial site at Barry. Work involved agreeing to remediate contamination, regrade a 169 acre site, agree a Development Framework Plan, obtain outline planning permission, and agree a marketing strategy. The land was sold to a Consortium of housebuilders for residential and commercial development.
A private developer
Advised a private developer on all aspects of numerous retail based development projects, securing lease arrangements with tenants such as Dominos Pizza, Tesco, Subway, Costa Coffee, Ladbrookes and Greggs.
Cardiff and Vale College
Acted for Cardiff and Vale College in the acquisition of an extensive property portfolio of 21 commercial properties with a broad geographic spread, attached to the share purchase of ACT training company.
The purchase of Wrexham FC’s racecourse and the Colliers Park Training Ground
Advised on the purchase of Wrexham FC’s racecourse and the Colliers Park Training Ground by Glyndwr University from the Football Club including advising on complex tripartite ground sharing agreements between the Football and Rugby Clubs and novation/variation of multiple commercial and operational agreements.
PCI Pharma
Advising the US pharmaceutical company PCI Pharma in a complex lease re-gear transaction with the Developer Robert Hitchins, and more generally on all real estate matters and construction projects across its vast estate.