Steve
Nixon

Steve is a Partner in our Real Estate practice, and plays a lead role in our Residential Development Team.  With over 15 years’ experience acting for housebuilders, landowners and promoters on development sites across England and Wales, Steve has extensive experience of all types of development transactions.

“Working in the residential development sector is hugely satisfying” he says, “helping clients to progress sites from being identified as a prospective development, all the way through to sales of completed homes”. Steve also enjoys building lasting client relationships, and getting to fully understand his client’s business and how their developments differentiate them from the competition.

Steve finds it particularly rewarding to know that he has played a part in the delivery of a new development site and he enjoys seeing it become established.  It’s particularly gratifying to see a new community created as well as much needed new housing.

A pragmatic and focused approach

Ever mindful of the end goal, when it comes to client work Steve takes a pragmatic and focused approach, seeking to become a trusted advisor to his clients. His deep understanding of the housebuilding industry and extensive network of contacts within the sector, means that his clients get him involved at an early stage of the development process – knowing that he will be able to advise on the issues at stake and efficiently get the deal done.

Steve says, “there’s no ‘one-size fits all’ and recognising that each deal is different is really important”.  It can be challenging differentiating between the genuine risks to development on any given site, and the theoretical ones, so Steve takes a methodical approach and identifies the ‘pinch points’ on an individual, site-by-site basis.

Inclusive and collaborative

Taking the time to listen and understand specific issues is vital, and Steve’s working style is both inclusive and collaborative; he strives to get the deal done with an acceptable level of risk. This is a way of working that is very familiar to everyone at Walker Morris, where understanding client needs as well as their business, is what it’s all about.

Asked what led him to the development sector, Steve says he’s always found development fascinating – bringing together the techniques developed over time and the multitude of trades and skills required to turn vacant land into a housing development scheme where people will want to live.