Eversheds Sutherland advises Annington on £6bn sale and settlement of legal proceedings

Group of a young business people discussing business plan at modern startup office buildingGroup of a young business people discussing business plan at modern startup office building

Eversheds Sutherland advises Annington on £6bn sale and settlement of legal proceedings

Married Quarters Estates sold to Ministry of Defence

January 09, 2025

GlobalUnited Kingdom
GlobalUnited Kingdom
GlobalUnited Kingdom

Eversheds Sutherland has advised Annington Property Limited, one of the largest private owners of residential property in the UK, on the sale of the Married Quarters Estate (MQE) to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for £6bn.

The deal sees Annington transferring the remainder of its 999-year leases of the MQE back to the MOD with Annington acquiring from MOD the freehold of 159 properties within four months as well as a further £55M of units to be identified by MOD within 12 months.

The transaction resolves all outstanding claims between the parties, including existing legal proceedings regarding enfranchisement, and terminates all significant contractual arrangements relating to the MQE. 

The Eversheds Sutherland real estate team was led by Partner, Geraint Pullin Thomas, and also included Legal Directors Jonathan Woodward and Caroline Andresier and Consultant, Emma Andersen.

The Eversheds Sutherland litigation team was led by Partner, Will Densham, and included Principal Associate, Charlotte Miller, and Senior Associate, Barney Gush. 

Geraint Pullin Thomas, Partner, commented:

“This £6bn sale is one of the largest property transactions ever in the UK. It marks a conclusion to one of the most high-profile cases in UK real estate in recent years. The established collaborative working relationship we have with Annington was essential to the successful outcome."

William Densham, Partner, commented:

"The settlement is a monumental achievement, and working with Annington over many years and at completion of this process has been a pleasure. The scale, complexity and profile of the deal required careful coordination across multiple teams, and I’m proud of how the entire Eversheds Sutherland team worked together to ensure its successful completion."
 
The materials on the Eversheds Sutherland website are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. While reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the materials may not reflect the most current legal developments. Eversheds Sutherland disclaims liability for actions taken based on the materials. Always consult a qualified lawyer for specific legal matters. To view the full disclaimer, see our Terms and Conditions or Disclaimer section in the footer. Eversheds Sutherland is a provider of legal and other services operating through various separate and distinct legal entities. For further information about these entities and Eversheds Sutherlands' structure please see the Legal Notice page of this website.

Services

Industries

Key contacts

Geraint Pullin Thomas

Geraint Pullin Thomas

Partner

United Kingdom

williamdensham@eversheds-sutherland.com

Will Densham

Partner

United Kingdom

Latest Insights

Latest News

Latest Events

Modern office building glass facade exterior

legal updates

September 16, 2026

Commercially Connected shorts - 16 September 2026

Modern city high‑rise buildings glass exterior

legal updates

September 15, 2026

CMA places public procurement at the centre of its growth agenda

white-blue-green-black-people-responsible-business

legal updates

September 15, 2026

Eversheds Sutherland advises SLE Schuh on the acquisition of minority inter...

nature

legal updates

September 14, 2026

Global Sustainability & ESG Insights - August 2026

© Eversheds Sutherland 2026. All rights reserved. Eversheds Sutherland is a provider of legal and other services operating through various separate and distinct legal entities. For further information about these entities and Eversheds Sutherlands' structure please see the Legal Notice page of this website.

Eversheds Sutherland is the name and brand under which the members of Eversheds Sutherland Limited (Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP) and their respective controlled, managed and affiliated firms and the members of Eversheds Sutherland (Europe) Limited (each an "Eversheds Sutherland Entity" and together the "Eversheds Sutherland Entities") provide legal or other services to clients around the world. Eversheds Sutherland Entities are constituted and regulated in accordance with relevant local regulatory and legal requirements and operate in accordance with their locally registered names. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland, is for description purposes only and does not imply that the Eversheds Sutherland Entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. The responsibility for the provision of services to the client is defined in the terms of engagement between the instructed firm and the client. For further information about these Eversheds Sutherland Entities and Eversheds Sutherlands’ structure please see the Legal Notices page of this website.