Simon Kenley
Simon Kenley
Simon Kenley
Biography
- 23+ years’ experience working with clients based in the UK, US, Middle East and the Far East.
- Dealing with all aspects of commercial property, including office, retail, industrial, hotel and residential investment and development.
- Focused on managing the real estate teams for the buying, selling and redevelopment of properties.
- Advising on high-rise residential property, particularly in developing student accommodation.
- Acting for corporate occupiers on their global head office requirements
- Clients range from domestic and foreign investors, developers, property companies, corporate occupiers to institutions and funders.
- Recommended in Legal 500 and Chambers.
- Memberships include the British Council of Office (BCO).
Areas of Focus
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Student Accommodation
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Logistics & Industrial
Admissions
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England and Wales
Related Capabilities
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Real Estate
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Student Accommodation
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Financial Institutions
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Logistics & Industrial
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Commercial Real Estate
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Finance
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Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure
Experience
- Advising BlackRock as relationship partner, running a large cross-firm team of real estate sector lawyers comprising core real estate, tax, construction, planning and environmental, corporate, real estate finance, real estate dispute resolution and employment for the BlackRock Group, the largest asset manager in the world, including:
- on the purchase, forward funding and debt financing of a site in Norwich for development into student housing.
- on the acquisition of a portfolio of properties in excess of £100m to establish the new Long Lease Portfolio.
- on the acquisition of eight student accommodation buildings (standing investments or sites for development)
- Advised Goldman Sachs, the leading US-based global investment bank, on the acquisition, debt financing and sale of a significant logistics portfolio.
- Advised Morgan Stanley on the acquisition and subsequent sale of a logistics portfolio.
- Advised Zetland Capital Partners LLP, a London based private equity firm, on the acquisition by funds managed by Zetland of the units in The Bingo Unit Trust, a Guernsey Property Unit Trust holding, 37 properties leased to Buzz Bingo (30 English properties and 7 Scottish properties).
- Advised LBS Properties, a property investment and development company, on their acquisition of 135 Park Street from Lasalle Investment Management in a joint venture with Barings.
- Advised Tikeau/Areli on the purchase of the Nicholson’s Centre, Maidenhead. Advising on their redevelopment strategy and the vision for this regeneration scheme, including negotiating a land swap agreement and development agreement with the local authority and dealing with all transactions required to implement a vacant possession strategy alongside tenants, neighbouring owners and the local authority.
- Advised Angle Properties on the acquisition development and sale of numerous sites across the South East of the United Kingdom.
- Advised BAE Systems Pensions on the acquisition of a hotel as part of the UK airport development.
Related Insights
Insights
Oct 23, 2025
Oct 23, 2025
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.
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
Jun 17, 2025
Jun 17, 2025
BCLP advises Sixth Street’s logistics joint venture with Copley Point Capital on five logistics property acquisition from Barings
Insights
Mar 22, 2024
Mar 22, 2024
European distressed real estate – how will it play out this time?
News
Dec 16, 2021
Dec 16, 2021
BCLP advises Zetland Capital Partners on acquisition of Bingo Hall Portfolio
International law firm BCLP advised Zetland Capital Partners LLP (Zetland), a London based Private Equity firm, on the acquisition of a portfolio of 37 bingo halls leased to Buzz Bingo.
Awards
October 5, 2021
October 5, 2021
Legal 500 UK 2022