Neil Faunch

LL.B. (Hons), Solicitor, Director

Joint Head of Commercial Property and Agricultural Law

Commercial and Rural Property

Advises on acquisitions and disposals, site assembly, title due-diligence, financing and portfolio work for landowners, developers and investors.

Development and Land Assembly

Handles options, promotion and pre-emption agreements, overage, easements and infrastructure to unlock residential and mixed-use schemes.

Agricultural Law

Supports farmers and estates on sales and purchases, agricultural tenancies, diversification projects, access and drainage, and compulsory purchase matters.

Practice areas

Neil Faunch is a Director in Ansons’ Commercial Property and Agricultural Law teams. He advises developers, farmers, landowners, investors and public bodies on real estate transactions and property disputes.

His work covers land and development site acquisitions, strategic land agreements, infrastructure and statutory agreements, and compulsory purchase and compensation.

Key Specialisms

Neil’s practice spans transactional real estate, planning and regulation, and dispute resolution. He advises developers, estates, investors and public bodies on the areas below, combining clear, practical guidance with robust advocacy.

Email Neil

Land & development transactions: acquisitions/disposals, portfolio refinancing and certificates of title.

Strategic land agreements: promotion, option & pre-emption; landowner collaboration/equalisation; overage (clawback) and enforcement.

Planning & infrastructure: statutory agreements and highways works, including Section 106 and Section 278.

Compulsory purchase: advance payments, notices and compensation claims.

Easements & access: drainage, utilities and wayleaves; property disputes covering rentcharges, boundaries and restrictive covenants.

Agricultural law: farm sales/purchases and agricultural tenancies.

Experience

Court of Appeal success – rent charge dispute

Acted for Canwell Estate Company Limited, successfully defending a rent charge claim in the Court of Appeal.

Agricultural land acquisition (multi-million pound)

Advised on the purchase of a substantial agricultural estate, coordinating due diligence, overage and access arrangements.

Development site purchases

Handled the acquisition and assembly of development sites, including title remediation, planning and infrastructure agreements.

Corporate support – 50+ property portfolio

Provided property due diligence and transactional support to the corporate team on a multi-million pound deal involving more than fifty properties across multiple titles.

Regulatory injunctions for local authorities

Represented several local authorities to obtain High Court injunctions prohibiting car cruising on the public highway.

Court of Appeal success – rent charge dispute

Acted for Canwell Estate Company Limited, successfully defending a rent charge claim in the Court of Appeal.

Agricultural land acquisition (multi-million pound)

Advised on the purchase of a substantial agricultural estate, coordinating due diligence, overage and access arrangements.

Development site purchases

Handled the acquisition and assembly of development sites, including title remediation, planning and infrastructure agreements.

Corporate support – 50+ property portfolio

Provided property due diligence and transactional support to the corporate team on a multi-million pound deal involving more than fifty properties across multiple titles.

Regulatory injunctions for local authorities

Represented several local authorities to obtain High Court injunctions prohibiting car cruising on the public highway.

Neil Jones on Legally Sound

Host Martin de Ridder sits down with corporate specialist Neil Jones to unpack succession planning and practical exit routes, including MBOs, EOTs and trade sales.

Expect clear advice on shareholder agreements, due diligence and protecting business value before you exit.

Explore the Legally Sound podcast on YouTube

Testimonials

We use Neil Faunch to support our land acquisition. Neil has always been excellent in all respects. He is accessible, both on the phone and by email, and happy to talk through in layman’s terms.

Legal 500 UK 2025

Neil’s ability to identify and understand the key issues is vital as well as offering solutions. Neil has guided us through many transactions which have all had their challenges with a positive attitude.

Legal 500 UK 2025

Neil Faunch offers clear and sensible advice.

Legal 500 UK 2025

Our closest working relationship is with Neil Faunch, whom I have found it a pleasure to work with. He is helpful, accessible, knowledgeable and flexible as regards his work and I would happily recommend him to anyone who required a commercial property lawyer to act for them.

Legal 500 UK 2022

Neil Faunch is well versed in matters of HS2 and compulsory purchase/statutory blight and HS2 property schemes. He acts effectively and in a very timely manner.

Legal 500 UK 2022

Our go-to legal adviser is Neil Faunch — he has never let us down. He ensures his team is up to speed with our cases at all times, so even if we are unable to speak to him personally, our queries are dealt with. Neil is a pleasure to work with, listens, sympathises, understands and advises without hesitation.

Legal 500 UK 2024

Neil Faunch provides very client focused advice, that is always on budget and timely. He has good interpersonal skills and is very easy to contact when advice is needed.

Legal 500 UK 2024

Neil Jones is a lovely person to work with and understands that the whole team of professionals advising a mutual client need to be kept up to date and that they too have a valuable part to play in any transaction. A true team player.

Legal 500 UK 2025