Christopher Cant

As a chancery practitioner, Christopher’s practice includes trusts, wills, charities, professional negligence, partnership and company. He acts in such matters in contentious and non-contentious cases. His clients include local authorities, property developers, land owners, business undertakings and private individuals.

Land & Property

A significant portion of Christopher’s practice has always been focused on property. He advises on difficult points, the structuring of transactions and preparing drafts. In recent years transactions involving overage and planning promotion agreements have played a greater role. The spectrum of transactions he is instructed on run from large scale residential and shopping developments to single dwellings or offices.

Clients range from large scale developers, niche builders and local authorities to individual householders. In addition he acts in contentious property matters including disputes over easements, restrictive covenants, enforcement of charges and guarantees, leases and sales of land.

Throughout his years in practice there has been an emphasis on drafting and tackling complex issues.

Examples of work

Non-contentious

•  Refinancing by lending consortium secured on commercial property portfolio
  
•  Restructuring of Superstore leasing arrangement
•  Advice on enforceability of restrictive covenants
•  Advice on assignment of Sharia-law compliant lease
•  Drafting regime for carrying out substantial works prior to completion
•  Drafting and advising on planning promotion agreement with regard to horticultural land
•  Advice on operation of overage agreements and drafting overage provisions
•  Advice on drainage surface water from development site
•  Drafting of underlease for purpose of dividing up building
•  Assignment of interest in trust of flat
•  Advice on responsibility for state of cliff face
•  Advice for landlord regarding destruction of house let on long lease

Contentious

•  Rebutting claim to flat under section 423 Insolvency Act 1986
•  Application for title of registered land based on adverse possession
•  Enforcement of sharia-law compliant charge
•  Opposition to application to register public highway
•  Disputes over width of right of way to vacant factory and field
•  Enforcement of obligation to carry out works prior to completion of sale
•  University of East London Higher Education Corpn v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council and others [2004] EWHC 2710 (Ch) dispute over validity of restrictive covenants affecting Dagenham
•  University of East London Higher Education Corp v Barking and  Dagenham London Borough Council and others (No 2) [2004] EWHC 2908 (Ch) – confirming costs of local authorities on indemnity basis
•  Amsprop Trading Limited v Harris Distribution [1997] 2 EGLR 78 – head landlord seeking to enforce covenants directly against a sub-tenant
•  Dolgellau Golf Club v Hett [1998] 2 EGLR 75 – Court of Appeal decision on landlord’s opposition to grant of new tenancy on ground that required for landlord’s business

•  Called to the Bar in 1973