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Julia heads the social housing property team at Ward Hadaway. She is an experienced residential development lawyer, specializing in social housing. She advises registered providers, house builders and promoters.

Julia’s primary practice is work for registered providers encompassing security work, land – led schemes, bulk purchases, projects and disposals.  She co-ordinates the multi-disciplinary team at Ward Hadaway advising RPs on their developments from inception to low cost disposal / rent  and use as security.

She also works on behalf of national and regional house builders and land owners in all aspects of the residential development transaction, with a particular emphasis on acquiring and assembling complex sites and delivering large projects.

Experience

Julia’s work in residential development has been for housebuilders, the public sector, landowners and registered providers; she has been involved in the assembly, acquisition and disposal of flagship regeneration schemes in the North East and also in national land assembly projects – including the Middlehaven development, large scale housing schemes, the transfer of all of the parks and allotments in Newcastle City to a newly formed trust, acting for the lead developer of the new Burtree Garden Village for the construction of 800 new homes and other complex large scale regeneration.

She has expertise in all aspects of development – from bid and heads of terms stage through to assembly, financing and acquisition to delivery and eventual disposal. She is used to leading multi-disciplinary legal teams to bring large development projects to a successful conclusion.

Julia is also very experienced in social housing: leading teams carrying out large scale securitisations, acting on land led and s.106 acquisitions and advising on all peripheral matters.

What people say

  • Julia Thomson is always readily available and happy to pick up tasks whenever required. Her sensible, fast approach is a key quality that serves well for repeat business. Julia fully explains all legal issues in detail and in easily understandable language.

    Legal 500, Client quote
  • The individuals I work with at this practice are engaging, professional and attentive, they are always available to discuss matters at great length and conscientious in everything they produce. I have far more confidence in the advice provided than have encountered with other practices; they also make themselves available for a simply discussion, matters outside of the scope for general advice. Irrespective of knowing they have multiple clients and dealings, you always feel that the right time is allocated to your particular matter, something again which is not obtained elsewhere. Sophie Bohill and Julia Thomson are my main contacts at this practice; the above comments specifically relate to my sometimes daily interactions with these ladies who are genuinely amazing and work well outside the normal 9-5.

    Legal 500, Client quote

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