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Portrait ofJohn Cumpson

John Cumpson

Partner
Co-head of the Real Estate Practice Group

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English

John is a partner and Co-head of the Real Estate Practice Group. With over 30 years in the industry John has a wide range of experience in all aspects of real estate sales and acquisitions, landlord and tenant, development, funding, joint venture and funds work.

This experience covers many sectors from retail and offices through to residential (both build to sell and to rent).

John has acted on some of the largest retail and mixed use developments taking major town and city centre schemes from inception, heads of terms and engagement with local authorities, planning, site assembly, rights of light, securing and implementing s203 and CPOs, negotiating complex development agreements through to construction, pre-letting and ultimately disposal.

John is experienced in structuring and negotiating various forms of joint ventures/fund arrangements, including Jersey Unit Trusts, English Limited Partnerships, corporates and layered leasehold structures. Importantly, he has seen many of these through to exit and so can deliver the front-end thinking to ensure flexibility and liquidity.

John works with a variety of clients including Landsec, The Crown Estate, Battersea Power Station, The National Grid UK Pension Scheme, Mitsubishi Estate, DTZ Investors, COLIV Fund and The Dolphin Square Charitable Foundation (DSCF).

John heads the Real Estate team at CMS UK as well as sitting on the Board.

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Relevant experience

  • Acting for Landsec on its acquisition of a 75% interest in MediaCity, Europe’s leading, digital, media and tech hub, for £425.6m. Landsec are partnering with Peel L&P who will retain a 25% stake and continue to serve as asset and development manager.
  • Acting for DTZ Investors on the setting up of the COLIV Fund being the first fund to focus on the development and ownership of co-living assets.  Acting for the COLIV Fund on the acquisition, forward funding of, and raising third party debt on schemes at Harrow, Earlsfield and Battersea.
  • Leading the CMS team on the pre-letting campaign for retail, leisure and F&B phases of the Battersea Power Station development.
  • Acting for Dolphin Square Charitable Foundation on the acquisition of a long leasehold interest from Westminster City Council and the development of the large mixed use scheme at Lanark Road, Maida Vale. Subsequently, acting on the funding of Lanark Road and other DSCF assets.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the BCSC and sits on its Urban Regeneration Committee
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Education

  • 1988 – LL.B., University of East Anglia
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Feed

31/01/2024
CMS strengthens Real Estate residential offering with partner appointment
International law firm CMS is strengthening its Real Estate practice with the appointment of Rebecca Moore, who joins the firm as partner from BCLP. Rebecca has a strong practice in the residential sector...
03/05/2023
Mixed-use Development Team joins CMS Real Estate Transactions Practice
International law firm CMS is pleased to announce that Melanie Hughes and Paul Paling have joined as partners in the firm’s Real Estate Transactions Practice in London. They bring with them a team of...
05/01/2023
Important deadline imminent for Economic Crime Act
Summary The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 has set up a new Companies House register for overseas entities that own certain property registered at the Land Registry in England...
12/08/2022
FAQs on the Economic Crime Act
The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (“Act”) provides for the setting up on 1 August 2022 of a Companies House register for overseas entities that own certain property registered...
20/07/2022
CMS reappointed to Landsec legal panel
International law firm CMS has been reappointed to the legal panel of longstanding client Landsec, a FTSE 100 commercial property development and investment company. CMS is re-appointed to the UK core...
18/07/2022
Update on the implications of the Economic Crime Act for real estate
Alert: On 22 July 2022 it was announced that the land registration elements of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 will come into force on 5 September 2022 – the effect of this...
23/05/2022
CMS refreshes leadership team, appoints new partner to UK Real Estate Group
International law firm CMS is pleased to announce the appointment of Amit Unadkat as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate practice in London. Amit’s appointment coincides with a leadership refresh...
23/05/2022
Controversial measures for real estate in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration...
Summary The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill introduced into Parliament on 11 May 2022 contains a number of areas of interest for the property industry. CMS has commented on the impact of the Bill on...
03/11/2021
CMS advises Landsec on £425.6m investment in MediaCity
International law firm CMS has advised Landsec on its acquisition of a 75% interest in MediaCity, Europe’s leading, digital, media and tech hub, for £425.6m. MediaCity was previously owned by a 50:50...
19/05/2021
CMS builds on CMS by Design innovation platform with new real estate AI...
CMS UK has adopted Avail, a new AI tool for real estate, as it continues to build on its CMS by Design approach to delivering practical, accessible innovation to identify and solve clients’ legal and...
13/10/2020
CMS advises DTZ on £70m forward funding for London co-living development
International law firm CMS is advising DTZ Investors (DTZ), a full-service real estate investment manager, on the £70m forward funding for the development of a 310-room scheme in Earlsfield, London...
25/06/2014
Nabarro advises Land Securities on £656m Bluewater acquisition
This article was produced by Nabarro LLP, which joined CMS on 1 May 2017. Nabarro has played a central role in advising Land Securities on its £656m acquisition from Lend Lease of a 30% stake in Bluewater...