Christopher Cant

Overview

Christopher has nearly forty years experience in general chancery and commercial practice following his graduation from Cambridge with a starred first. Throughout his years in practice there has been an emphasis on drafting and tackling complex issues. He enjoys the research and analysis required for such matters but endeavours to provide his work speedily within the time limits imposed by the commercial needs of the professional and lay clients.

A significant portion of his 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.

The nature of the transactions dealt with in his practice is not limited exclusively to property matters but ranges much wider in the commercial field. It includes drafting distribution agreements and agreements for sale and purchase of shares. On the contentious side it includes matters such as disputes over the sale of companies bringing in issues such as the enforcement of guarantees.

As a general chancery practitioner Christopher's practice includes trusts, wills, charities, professional negligence, partnership and company but the only tax he now advises on is stamp duty land tax. He acts in such matters in contentious and non-contentious cases. In recent years on the contentious side he has increasingly acted in disputes over religious centres.

Examples of Recent cases

Non-contentious

Drafting and advising on planning promotion agreement with regard to horticultural land
Advice on operation of overage agreements
Advice on drainage surface water from development site
Drafting of underlease for purpose of dividing up building
Advice on control of religious centre
Drafting and advice on distribution agreements

Contentious

Defence of claim for breach of warranty/misrepresentation relating to sale of company
Action to enforce guarantee in loan notes
Rebutted application to appoint management trustees running religious centre
Contested construction of gift in will
Dispute over width of right of way to vacant factory

Decisions

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;
Lau -v- Redpalm (Groucho Club - rent review)
Amsprop Trading Limited v Harris Distribution (head landlord seeking to enforce covenants directly against a sub-tenant)
Dolgellau Golf Club v Hett (Court of Appeal - landlord's opposition to grant of new tenancy on ground that required for landlord's business).

Recent publications

Transfer to public ownership of private sewers and lateral drains

Practice Areas

Property – advice, drafting (including planning promotion and overage agreements) and contentious
Commercial – advice, drafting (including SPA) and contentious
Trusts
Charities
Partnership
Wills/Probate
Company
Professional negligence

Call: 1973
Qualifications: MA

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