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Victoria Blanchard

Victoria Blanchard
  1. People /

Victoria Blanchard

Victoria Blanchard

Partner


London
Victoria Blanchard
  1. People /

Victoria Blanchard

Victoria Blanchard

Partner


London

Victoria Blanchard

Partner

London

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 3112

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  • Biography

  • Experience

Biography

Victoria Blanchard is a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Disputes Group which is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers UK and in Tier 1 by Legal 500. With over 15 years’ experience of contentious property matters, mitigation of development constraint risks and injunction litigation, she routinely advises high profile developers such as Crosstree, Edge Technologies, Grosvenor, Landsec, Canary Wharf and Aviva on a range of issues arising from development, particularly in relation to rights of light, mines and minerals and other easements and restrictive covenant issues. Victoria leads the firm’s rights of light centre of excellence and has particular expertise in advising on and negotiating the terms of rights of light indemnity policies.

Victoria also works closely with BCLP’s transactional lawyers, providing strategic, commercial advice in the context of property investment, joint ventures, lettings, development financing and forward fundings.

Victoria is well known for her contributions to both the real estate sector and the overall legal field. She has a strong interest in legal innovation and technology and has led various projects involving both internal and external specialists. She has been instrumental in developing AI technology that enables the registration of thousands of preventative Light Obstruction Notices to safeguard the development potential of earmarked development stock. Victoria has also pioneered the use of collaboration platforms and document automation tools to assist with large scale rights of light due diligence exercises and subsequent project management and documentation of large numbers of rights of light settlement agreements. One of these projects was awarded “Best Use of Technology” at the British Legal Awards for the pioneering use of artificial intelligence (AI). Her work was also featured in a BBC series about the use of AI across different industries.

Victoria is individually ranked in Chambers UK as an ‘Up and Coming Practitioner’ and in Legal 500 UK as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ for Real Estate Litigation. In the 2025 editions, clients described Victoria as "a highly regarded practitioner with notable strength in handling a wide array of complex disputes, including those arising from acquisitions and rights of light issues"; "[her] knowledge and expertise is vital for clients and she delivers work quickly and professionally"; and  "is very well informed, diplomatic and emotionally intelligent as well as highly qualified, which has meant she has been able to progress and resolve one particularly sticky case that comes to mind, which did not seem at the outset in any way soluble to each party's satisfaction."

Civic Involvement & Honors

  • British Legal Awards, “Best Use of Technology,” 2015

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Property Litigation Association
Victoria Blanchard is my go-to on rights of light queries for development projects. She is an astute tactician

Legal 500 UK, 2024

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related Capabilities

Real Estate Disputes Real Estate Disputes

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Build to Rent/Multifamily Build to Rent/Multifamily

Real Estate Real Estate

  • Real Estate Disputes

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Build to Rent/Multifamily

  • Real Estate

Experience

  • Acting for our client in relation to its plans to build Europe’s largest state of the art commercial life science hub. Our work has included extensive legal research into the existence of any rights of light that the neighbours may enjoy over the development site and, based on the results, advising on and implementing the risk mitigation strategy. That strategy includes the registration of light obstruction notices against neighbouring buildings to prevent the acquisition of rights of light over the development site. We are able to do this quickly and cost-effectively by utilising our bespoke artificial intelligence software which we have developed specifically to automate the light obstruction notice registration process (which involves the creation and service of many hundreds of letters at one time). This strategy has been implemented well in advance of works starting on site to ensure our client can deliver on its ambitious plans.
  • Working closely with our client’s rights of light surveyors, advising on an appropriate strategy to defend a substantial injunction claim that has been threatened by a neighbour in response to our client’s plans to develop a one acre site in central London which includes a 20 storey tower.
  • Advising on potential rights of light issues arising from a significant redevelopment in Chelsea and advising on a suitable risk mitigation strategy. The existing buildings on the site comprise a mix of commercial, residential and retail properties, some of which (including a large residential tower block) remained in situ as part of the redevelopment plans and potential loss of light was a contentious issue for the residential neighbours. The development was successfully completed with no significant issues arising.
  • Issuing proceedings on behalf of our client who is the owner of a very prestigious, historic building in the City of London and wishes to prevent a proposed neighbouring development from severely impacting the light currently enjoyed by their building.
  • Advising on several large regeneration projects in Greater London. Our role encompasses quantifying the risk through legal title investigations and analysis and stress testing the technical data, and then formulating and implementing bespoke risk mitigation strategies, including the potential use of s203 and CPO powers. The constantly evolving nature of these multi-phase developments requires an agile approach and regular communication and collaboration between all of the BCLP specialist lawyers and external advisors engaged on these projects.
  • Advising a high-profile developer in relation to their acquisition and multi-million pound plans to develop a skyscraper in the City of London. Rights of light and the costs of implementing an appropriate risk mitigation strategy are a key development cost and we were brought in at an early stage to assist with establishing the correct budget for this element of the development appraisal. This involved carrying out complex legal due diligence in relation to over 150 neighbouring interests within a very tight timeframe to establish exactly which neighbouring owners might be able to bring a rights of light injunction claim to prevent the development proceeding. We were able to complete this work by utilising various artificial intelligence and document automation software that we have developed internally to assist with these high volume, high stake exercises. Following the successful acquisition we have continued to working closely with the client, their development managers and rights of light surveyors to implement the risk mitigation strategy which includes completing substantial settlement negotiations with a large number of neighbouring owners.

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Awards
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.  
News
Oct 14, 2025

BCLP advises Aviva Investors on c.£37,500,000 financing for redevelopment of 95 New Cavendish Street, London

News
Oct 01, 2025

The Legal 500 UK 2026

News
Apr 28, 2025

BCLP advises Victory Group on its acquisition of 103 – 105 Jermyn Street, London

Insights
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.
News
Mar 31, 2025

BCLP advise GPE on acquisition of West End HQ development opportunity

Insights
Mar 25, 2025

Briefcase 2025 Quarter 1: Key Real Estate Cases and Updates

Insights
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.
Awards
Oct 17, 2024

Chambers 2025 UK guide ranks BCLP in 34 practice areas and recognises 74 individual lawyers

Related Insights

Awards
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.  
News
Oct 14, 2025
BCLP advises Aviva Investors on c.£37,500,000 financing for redevelopment of 95 New Cavendish Street, London
News
Oct 01, 2025
The Legal 500 UK 2026
News
Apr 28, 2025
BCLP advises Victory Group on its acquisition of 103 – 105 Jermyn Street, London
Insights
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.
News
Mar 31, 2025
BCLP advise GPE on acquisition of West End HQ development opportunity
Insights
Mar 25, 2025
Briefcase 2025 Quarter 1: Key Real Estate Cases and Updates
Insights
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.
Awards
Oct 17, 2024
Chambers 2025 UK guide ranks BCLP in 34 practice areas and recognises 74 individual lawyers
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