Nicky Cleightonhills

Nicky Cleightonhills – Partner

Nicky is a property solicitor who turns her hand to all areas of property law including sales and acquisitions, options, overage, promotion agreements, infrastructure projects, joint venture agreements and secured lending, with a particular emphasis on development projects.

Due to her extensive knowledge of freehold and leasehold enfranchisement including statutory lease extensions, collective enfranchisement and matters of right of first refusal, Nicky’s focus in recent years has been in rooftop and airspace development together with secured lending over the same.

“Rated in the 2021/2022 Legal 500 as ‘active in rooftop and airspace developments, as well as ancillary construction and financing matters’.”

“Rated in the 2020/21 Legal 500 with ability to handle “complex, high value deals more typical of a city law firm”.”

“Rated in the 2019/2020 Legal 500 as acting for ‘high-profile national and international clients on high-value work pertaining to acquisitions and disposal’.”

“Rated in the 2018/2019 Legal 500 as ‘excellent” and having “professionalism, intelligence and strategic flexibility”.”

Recent projects have involved:

Acting for the developer on a deal with a freehold landowner with a multi-block site subject to dozens of residential tenancies with a joint venture agreement to build upon the rooftop and share the proceeds of sale between the developer and the freeholder.
Acting developers obtaining options for airspace leases and development rights to create additional storeys on residential blocks of flats, including overage provisions.
Acting for a collection of leaseholders on how to thwart the development of the airspace above their block which included comparing the planning permission with the rights in the leases and advising on an injunction for derogation from grant.
Acting for a landowner and their development finance provider on how to structure an airspace lease including scaffolding agreements, development agreements and the terms of the joint venture.
Acting for a developer purchasing the freehold interest in a residential block including how to obtain planning that correlates with the residential leases and right of first refusal formalities.
Advising a senior debt provider on the development finance surrounding an airspace development and how best to protect the rights of the mortgagor and mortgagee in the sale of an airspace lease to a developer intending to create additional storeys upon a mixed-use building comprising residential and commercial tenancies.
Advising leaseholders on launching an enfranchisement claim to acquire the freehold of a residential block of flats with a view to halting the development prospects of the airspace above.
Advising a freeholder owner on the development prospects of the rooftop and airspace of a block of residential flats and how to structure the deal whilst protecting them from a claim for breach of landlord covenants.

Nicky joined Meaby & Co in July 2016 and divides her time between the Mayfair and Dunmow offices.

Accreditations and memberships

Contact Nicky

+44 (0)207 7035034

DDI: +44 (0)7375 528 434

ncleightonhills@meaby.co.uk

Accreditations and memberships

Practice Areas

Residential Property
Commercial property

Meaby & Co Solicitors LLP is a limited liability partnership authorised and regulated by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA Number 447880) and registered in England and Wales with registered number OC322672. Its registered office is at 2 Camberwell Church St, London, SE5 8QY where a list of members’ names and their qualifications is open to inspection. The term ‘partner’ is used to refer to a member of Meaby & Co Solicitors LLP or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or an individual with equivalent status.

Nicky Cleightonhills