Robert is an experienced commercial property lawyer who specialises in property development work including promotion agreements, options, rights of pre-emption, and overage and clawback provisions. He advises and assists developers in acquiring sites conditional on obtaining, or with the benefit of, planning permission, and advises on strategic land development projects.
Additionally, Robert frequently represents landowners who are approached by promoters or housebuilders seeking to promote their land for residential development or to secure new sites through options.
Robert also advises companies and businesses acquiring and disposing of premises as well as landlords and tenants in relation to commercial leases and other property management work.
Robert Coombe is noted for his ability to advise on rural property transactions.
Chambers UK 2024
He is nice to deal with and someone that we like.
Client testimonial Chambers UK 2023
A very good practitioner who is good to deal with
Client testimonial Chambers UK 2022
Expertise
- Property development
- Freehold and leasehold sales and purchases
- Commercial leases
- Property portfolio management
- Securities work for lenders
Experience
Property Development
- Negotiated numerous promotion agreements with leading land promoters including Gladman Developments, Welbeck Strategic Land, Hallam Land Management, Richborough Estates, Obsidian Land, Catesby Strategic Land, and Ptarmigan.
- Negotiated numerous options with house builders including Taylor Wimpey, Countryside Properties, and Dandara as well as smaller regional developers.
- Drafted and negotiated collaboration agreements between consortium landowners relating to multiple parcel land promotions.
- Acted in the sale of residential development sites to, inter alia, Redrow Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Wates/Vistry, Abbey, and Bovis Homes for sale prices ranging from £5m to over £25m and ancillary legal charges to secure deferred payments as well as overage and clawback provisions.
- Acted in the sale of a 33-acre development site with the benefit of outline planning permission for circa 74,000sqm of modern, flexible employment space to a developer and pension fund.
Commercial Property
- Managed the commercial property portfolio for a property investment company dealing with its acquisitions disposals and the grant and surrender of leases and all ancillary documents.
- Acted in the grant of a lease of a bespoke HQ office and light industrial building involving a prior agreement for lease, licence for works, and associated collateral warranties.
- Acted in the sale of a multi-let light industrial estate comprising 12 units with ancillary yard and parking.
- Acted in the purchase of a complex commercial investment comprising both retail and restaurant premises let to a multi-national fast-food outlet.
- Acted for a leading surveying and geomatics manufacturer on the leasehold acquisition of its UK HQ building as well as leases of its other UK leasehold premises.
- Acted for several motor dealerships in the acquisition of dealership and workshop premises.
- Acted for several GP practices in the taking of leases of newly built bespoke surgery premises from GPFC.
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
- Acted for landowners in the negotiation of agreements for lease and options for renewable energy projects including solar farms, battery storage facilities and wind farms involving, inter alia, EDF Energy, Pivoted Power, Welsh Power, and London Array.
- Acted for a farming client in the purchase of several lots of agricultural land totalling 200 acres.
- Acted for a farming family in the securitisation of their entire agricultural landholdings totalling in excess of 30 farms and land parcels.
- Acted for landowner as part of a consortium in connection with the promotion of land for residential development as a new garden village including a collaboration agreement, options, a promotion agreement, and the creation of a pooling trust.
- Acted for a farming client in the sale of land with the benefit of planning for residential development to Redrow Homes for in excess of £26m.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Chambers UK for Agriculture & Rural Affairs 2025
“Robert Coombe is proactive.”Chambers UK 2025
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for his ability to advise on rural property transactions.
Career
Robert qualified as a solicitor in 1984. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2024, he worked at the following firms:
- Oswald Hickson Collier & Co
- Whitehead Monckton