BCLP logo

Hansy McDonald

Hansy McDonald

Senior Associate

London

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 3042

VcardVcard
Download PDFDownload PDF
Print
Share

Biography

Hansy is an Senior Associate in BCLP’s Energy, Environment and Infrastructure team with wide-ranging experience across the Energy and Infrastructure sectors. Hansy has particular experience in international project development including in the energy, water, aviation and transport sectors. 

Hansy frequently advises on complex commercial arrangements and regulation across the Energy and Infrastructure market, including extensive experience advising on connection agreements, joint ventures, PPAs, and supply, maintenance and service contracts.

Areas of Focus

Renewables & Storage Renewables & Storage

  • Renewables & Storage

Client Story

Client Story

Client Story

Getting vertiport pioneer Skyports off the ground in Dubai

London based start-up Skyports Infrastructure has announced its pioneering ‘vertiport’ operations in Dubai in collaboration with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and electric air taxi provider, Joby Aviation.

Read more Read more

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related capabilities

Renewables & Storage Renewables & Storage

M&A & Corporate Finance M&A & Corporate Finance

Infrastructure Infrastructure

Energy Transition Energy Transition

Corporate Corporate

ESG & Energy Transition ESG & Energy Transition

Aerospace & Defense Aerospace & Defense

  • Renewables & Storage

  • M&A & Corporate Finance

  • Infrastructure

  • Energy Transition

  • Corporate

  • ESG & Energy Transition

  • Aerospace & Defense

Related insights

View all related insightsIcon: arrow

Insights
Nov 24, 2025

Unlocking Value in UK Data Centre M&A Transactions

The United Kingdom’s data centre market is undergoing a profound transformation. A forecast surge in demand for data centre capacity—driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and digital services—is expected to outstrip supply, even with recent government initiatives aimed at accelerating development. Key constraints remain, including lengthy grid connection timelines and a complex, often polarised planning system.  At the same time, data centres continue to attract long-term capital—including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, and REITs—thanks to their predictable, inflation-linked returns. Private equity investors have also been highly active, drawn by strong growth prospects and opportunities to consolidate fragmented markets. These dynamics have pushed valuations to record highs and sustained strong demand for UK data centre M&A, defying the slowdown in other real estate sectors post-pandemic. Against this backdrop, data centre M&A transactions are not merely high-value real estate deals; they demand familiarity with operational infrastructure, advanced technology, long-term service contracts, and complex regulatory issues. Executing such transactions successfully requires integrated expertise across M&A, energy, real estate, technology, regulatory, and finance. Understanding the legal and commercial anatomy of these deals is paramount for unlocking maximum value and mitigating inherent risks.
Insights
Nov 03, 2025

Financing data centre developments: Balancing risk and opportunity in a capital-intensive sector

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
Oct 23, 2025

Structuring shell and core data centre developments: Legal strategies for scalability and flexibility

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.
Insights
Oct 14, 2025

Mastering powered land transactions for UK data centres

  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.

Related insights

Insights
Sep 21, 2026
Ofgem proposes new commitment fee to tackle battery storage queue oversubscription
Insights
Nov 24, 2025
Unlocking Value in UK Data Centre M&A Transactions
The United Kingdom’s data centre market is undergoing a profound transformation. A forecast surge in demand for data centre capacity—driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and digital services—is expected to outstrip supply, even with recent government initiatives aimed at accelerating development. Key constraints remain, including lengthy grid connection timelines and a complex, often polarised planning system.  At the same time, data centres continue to attract long-term capital—including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, and REITs—thanks to their predictable, inflation-linked returns. Private equity investors have also been highly active, drawn by strong growth prospects and opportunities to consolidate fragmented markets. These dynamics have pushed valuations to record highs and sustained strong demand for UK data centre M&A, defying the slowdown in other real estate sectors post-pandemic. Against this backdrop, data centre M&A transactions are not merely high-value real estate deals; they demand familiarity with operational infrastructure, advanced technology, long-term service contracts, and complex regulatory issues. Executing such transactions successfully requires integrated expertise across M&A, energy, real estate, technology, regulatory, and finance. Understanding the legal and commercial anatomy of these deals is paramount for unlocking maximum value and mitigating inherent risks.
Insights
Nov 03, 2025
Financing data centre developments: Balancing risk and opportunity in a capital-intensive sector
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
Oct 23, 2025
Structuring shell and core data centre developments: Legal strategies for scalability and flexibility
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.
Insights
Oct 14, 2025
Mastering powered land transactions for UK data centres
  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
Sep 25, 2025
BCLP Advises STRABAG:Equitix Consortium on first of a kind £2.9bn Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme
News
Sep 11, 2025
BCLP advises HELLENiQ Energy on strategic acquisition of Elpeson BV
News
Apr 30, 2025
BCLP advises SatixFy on the English law aspects of its proposed acquisition by MDA Space
News
Apr 29, 2025
BCLP advises SatixFy on securing £1.8 million contract from the UK Space Agency