Aarthi Raguraj

Former school sites can present rare redevelopment opportunities, but no two assets are the same. In Property Week, Real Estate Partner, Sophie Henwood outlines the key legal, planning and commercial considerations investors should assess when evaluating former school properties, from planning and heritage constraints to title, access and infrastructure issues.

Can diversification help private schools navigate growing financial pressures and falling pupil numbers? In CoStar, Real Estate Partner, Sophie Henwood explores how schools are rethinking their estates to generate income, while highlighting the operational and legal constraints that mean diversification is far from a straightforward solution.

Independent schools considering closure or diversification following the VAT changes must navigate complex legal and commercial challenges. In Education Property Magazine, Partner, Sophie Henwood explores the challenges schools, investors and developers face – from lease restrictions and covenants to planning constraints – and why there is rarely a straightforward solution. As she notes, every property requires a bespoke approach.

Upwards-only rent reviews have long been a feature of institutional leases, but that may be about to change. In CoStar, Commercial Real Estate Partner, Sophie Henwood considers the implications of the proposed ban and whether, in a market already shifting towards shorter leases, the practical effect will be as significant as anticipated.