John joined Stephens Scown in January 2026 as a partner in the Real Estate team’s specialist Commercial Property subsector.  

John delivers a broad range of high value, complex real estate projects, with a particular focus on corporate real estate and large-scale development and infrastructure projects. John also works in the space industry, supporting the growth of space and satellite businesses across the sector.  

His expertise spans large scale mixed-use developments, supporting high value corporate transactions, HQ office acquisitions, major land acquisitions, strategic urban extensions, and nationally significant infrastructure projects. John’s experience includes: 

• Supporting major mixed use developments across the South West 

• Advising on nationally significant educational and leisure infrastructure 

• Leading legal guidance on UK spaceport and launch frameworks 

• Shaping regional space and data strategy 

• Supporting investment and growth for UK and international space sector organisations 

Recent examples of his real estate work include: 

• Acting for a local authority to acquire over 100 acres of land for a major mixed-use ‘Garden Village’ development of 3,500 new homes, shops, community facilities, schools, care homes, open space and a sports stadium. 

• Advising an international charity on the acquisition of land and development of a £110m education and leisure venue. 

• Supporting a local authority with the acquisition and long-term management arrangements for over 100 acres of land designated as ‘Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space” to support the development of a large mixed use urban extension at South West Exeter. 

Some of his space and satellite work has involved: 

• Advising Spaceport Cornwall on the legal and regulatory framework for launch under the Space Industry Act 2018, delivering guidance on state aid, legal structures, planning and environmental, property and infrastructure and health & safety, in preparation for the first sovereign launch of spacecraft from UK soil in 2023. 

• Advising a Canadian rocket propulsion company on its acquisition of a rocket testing facility in the UK. 

• Supporting an Argentinian space tech business set up their new operations and expansion into the UK. 

• Working with AeroSpace Cornwall to support over 36 space and aerospace businesses with bespoke IP, data, commercial, corporate, real estate, infrastructure and employment advice. 

Outside of work, John is a rugby fan, amateur astronomer, and enjoys heading to the beach whenever possible.