Akhil Markanday
Akhil Markanday
Akhil Markanday
Partner and Global Practice Group Leader - Arbitration, Real Estate and Construction Disputes (ARC)
Biography
Akhil Markanday leads BCLP’s Real Estate Disputes Group and serves as practice group leader for the firm’s Arbitration, Real Estate and Construction Disputes Practice. Clients around the world rely on his 20+ years’ experience in complex high-stakes disputes to manage risk across their UK activities.
Akhil has substantial experience with the full range of contentious property matters including joint venture, sale and purchase and development/rights of light and neighbour disputes. He also advises clients on asset management matters across their portfolios and has extensive experience with landlord and tenant matters such as rent reviews, dilapidations, forfeiture and insolvency. Akhil is also well versed in protest/trespass matters where he has secured a number of high profile injunctions to help protect clients’ land interests and is also regularly sought out to advise on real estate related professional negligence claims.
Akhil is a well-known real estate litigator, receiving recognition year after year by the leading legal directories. Chambers continually ranks him in Band 1 for real estate litigation and describes Akhil as “an outstanding legal mind who is completely brilliant with clients.” Legal 500 recognizes Akhil as a Leading Individual and describes him as “simply the best, focused, resolute and a great negotiator.”
Admissions
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England and Wales
Related Capabilities
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Real Estate Disputes
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Commercial Real Estate
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
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Energy Transition
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Business & Commercial Disputes
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Real Estate
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International Arbitration
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Construction Disputes
Experience
- Acting for the successful claimant in Almacantar Centre Point Nominee 1 Ltd v Farrell [2022] 11 WLUK 216 where the team obtained injunctions to prevent urban exploring at the iconic Centre Point development in London.
- Acting for the successful claimant in Lodha Developers 1 GSQ Ltd v 1 GSQ1 Ltd [2020] EWHC 2356 (Ch) in a summary judgment claim concerning the termination of a £100M+ property contract at the luxury 1 Grosvenor Square development in London.
- Acting for the landlord in Colt Group Limited v Unicourt Wandsworth LLP [2020] EWHC 2549 (Ch) in a claim for declaratory relief concerning the interpretation of reinstatement provisions in a lease of a large industrial unit.
- Acting for the tenant in Pullman Foods Ltd v The Welsh Ministers [2020] EWHC 2521 (TCC) in a dilapidations/contamination claim concerning industrial premises in Swansea.
- Acting for the administrators in TCG Pubs Ltd (in Administration) v The Master and Wardens or Governors of the Art or Mystery of the Girdlers of London [2017] EWHC 772 (Ch) in a dispute relating to the interpretation of a right of pre-emption contained in a historic lease.
- Acting for the successful defendant in Century Projects Limited v Almacantar (Centre Point) Limited [2014] EWHC 394 in defending an interim injunction application brought by its tenant, Paramount, in relation to building works at the iconic Centre Point building in London.
- Acting for the successful landlord in The Hotgroup Plc v The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (as Trustee of the Schroder Exempt Property Unit Trust) [2010] EWHC 1241 (Ch) in a break clause dispute where the court made a declaration that the tenant had failed properly to exercise its break clause.*
- Acting for the successful claimant in Hiscox Syndicates Limited v The Pinnacle Limited EWHC 145 (Ch); [2008], a fast-paced and high-profile dispute relating to the demolition and construction of the Pinnacle office building in London. The team successfully obtained interim injunctions to restrain the demolition contractors from causing vibration above specified levels to the client's building, obstructing access or allowing water ingress into the building.*
*Prior to joining BCLP
Related Insights
Insights
Nov 03, 2025
Nov 03, 2025
Financing data centre developments: Balancing risk and opportunity in a capital-intensive sector
This is the third in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK.
The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is built on a striking paradox: demand for digital infrastructure seems limitless, but building it requires eye-watering amounts of capital. A hyperscale facility can cost more than £500 million, putting data centres among the most capital-intensive real estate assets in the world.
In this high-stakes environment, financing is not just about securing capital. It’s about designing the right capital structure – balancing debt and equity in a way that reduces risk, satisfies lenders, equity partners and tenants, and still delivers long-term returns.
In this third instalment of our Insight Series, we look at how sophisticated financing structures are used to balance risk and opportunity in the UK data centre market and share practical advice to help developers navigate complexity with confidence
Insights
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Structuring shell and core data centre developments: Legal strategies for scalability and flexibility
This is the second in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK.
The UK data centre sector’s expansion is increasingly dominated by the shell and core development model. Hyperscale and major colocation tenants are seeking to deploy capital efficiently, accelerate their time-to-market, and retain maximum control over their proprietary technical environments. In response, developers are delivering powered shells – buildings with foundational power and cooling infrastructure but without tenant-specific fit-out – as the market standard.
This approach provides tenants with the freedom to customise their IT architecture. But it also presents developers and investors with complex legal and commercial challenges. The core objective is to create a flexible, scalable asset while ensuring a secure, bankable investment that meets the stringent criteria of institutional finance.
The success in shell and core projects depends on the seamless integration of planning, development, construction, leasing and regulatory strategies. A misstep in one area can cascade through the project, affecting finance, tenant relationships and operational performance.
This second instalment of our Insight Series examines the legal frameworks underpinning these developments, from the structure of development management agreements and lease contracts to the regulatory considerations shaping the market.
Awards
Oct 16, 2025
Oct 16, 2025
Chambers 2026 UK guide ranks BCLP in 36 practice areas and recognises 76 individual lawyers
In the 2026 edition of Chambers UK BCLP received 36 practice area rankings and 76 individual lawyer recognitions. This year, the firm is recognized in six new practice areas and improved to a Band 1 ranking for Commercial Contracts, as well as a Band 2 ranking for Hotels and Leisure.
Insights
Oct 14, 2025
Oct 14, 2025
Mastering powered land transactions for UK data centres
This is the first in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK.
The UK’s data centre market is entering a period of rapid expansion, set to grow from $10.7 billion in 2024 to $22.7 billion by 2030. This is being driven by the computational demands of artificial intelligence, the widespread shift to cloud services and the relentless rise of enterprise-level computing. The result is a highly competitive market for powered land.
For hyperscale operators, institutional investors and specialist developers, the acquisition of these sites is no longer confined to the parameters of conventional real estate. Instead, it’s now a complex, high-stakes convergence of energy regulation, planning law and strategic commercial negotiation. Successfully navigating this landscape to deliver projects on time and on budget requires commercially astute legal advice to mitigate risk, unlock value and achieve market-leading outcomes.
In this article, we explore the legal, regulatory and commercial strategies that underpin successful data centre development, from planning consent and power supply agreements to ESG integration and emerging technological requirements.
News
Oct 01, 2025
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The Legal 500 UK 2026
Insights
Apr 16, 2025
Apr 16, 2025
Are you ready for Martyn’s Law?
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 and is expected to be implemented within the next 24 months. There will be no legal requirement to comply until the legislation comes into force, and the Home Office will publish statutory guidance on compliance during the 24-month implementation period. The Act will strengthen the security of many publicly accessible premises (with a focus on retail, hospitality, entertainment and leisure venues). Those in control of relevant premises will be required to take steps to reduce the risk of physical harm to individuals in the event of a terrorist attack.
Insights
Jan 23, 2025
Jan 23, 2025
On your radar? 10 real estate risk areas to watch in 2025
As we look ahead to 2025, several key areas within the real estate sector are poised to see an uptick in disputes. This report outlines ten pressing issues that property owners, occupiers, developers and investors should be aware of.
Insights
Dec 19, 2024
Dec 19, 2024
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Awards
Oct 17, 2024
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Chambers 2025 UK guide ranks BCLP in 34 practice areas and recognises 74 individual lawyers