Business premises — obtaining possession for redevelopment

The continuing lack of vacant sites for development in prime city areas has meant that property owners are looking increasingly at their existing property stocks with a view to redevelopment or refurbishment. The purpose of this article is to examine in some detail the forward planning needed, and the obstacles that have to be overcome, by property owners wishing to obtain possession from tenants protected by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part II, so that such schemes can be carried out. Distinction will be drawn between major redevelopment involving total demolition or very substantial reconstruction of existing buildings, and less comprehensive schemes such as internal refurbishments. The 1954 Act effectively distinguishes between these two types of redevelopment and this can give rise to a number of problems for property owners.