Julian Rowden

Julian Rowden is a Partner and Member at Lupton Fawcett LLP. Julian graduated in Law (with a language) from the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1980 and after living in Germany for a time where he taught English as a foreign language, he returned and qualified as a solicitor in 1986. After working for a City firm for several years where he specialised in commercial property, and a short spell working in the South-West of England, Julian and his family moved to Sheffield, and he has now made the Yorkshire city his home.

Julian has over 30 years’ experience in dealing with commercial property and land transactions ranging from small businesses to major land holdings and projects that have changed the face of Sheffield. He acts for several major and owning clients and farming businesses, and he is used to negotiating development agreements and leases of retail units, factories and offices together with all associated licences, as well as sales and acquisitions of freehold and leasehold properties of all types but with a particular emphasis on the leisure sector including hotels, restaurants and bars.

Much of Julian’s work involves dealing with the wider rural economy, including sales and purchases of agricultural land and woodland with associated farm buildings, as well as quarries and former gravel pits across Yorkshire and the North Midlands. Julian has become well versed in the titles, which are subject to mineral rights, complex overage and option agreements. Consequently, he is also familiar with the associated farm business tenancies, as well as the general requirements of this sector, including unregistered land. As the rural economy changes and diversifies, so the cross-over with commercial and light industrial type uses increases and my breadth of experience across both sectors becomes a major asset in giving best advice.

Julian’s experience includes drafting and negotiating multi-party land promotion agreements,  acquisitions of development sites, including site assemblies options to purchase  and conditional contracts, rectifying defects in title including claims for title claimed by adverse possession, together with associated funding arrangements, and granting and reserving rights and easements, imposing positive and restrictive covenants.

Professional Societies

• Law Society

Specialisms

• Property Development
• Overage Agreements and Options
• Unregistered Land
• Granting and Agreeing Commercial Leases
• Retail and Leisure

When not at work

Julian is a member of the Rotary Club of Sheffield, a leader at a camp for teenagers from Sheffield and is also interested in travel and history. He enjoys going to the gym as well as walking, gardening and motor cars.