Eversheds Sutherland advises Annington on £6bn sale and settlement of legal proceedings
Married Quarters Estates sold to Ministry of Defence
January 09, 2025
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 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."
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