Delivering 17 EV charging sites across a major real estate investment portfolio

RAW Charging develops, owns and operates EV charging infrastructure, with a focus on “destination charging” at retail, leisure, hospitality and visitor locations where drivers spend time while their vehicles charge. Established in 2018, it has grown into one of the UK’s larger destination charging operators and works with major landowners and attractions across the country. Backed by infrastructure investor Antin, RAW is expanding at pace, and its relationship with our team began in March 2026.

Following a competitive tender, RAW was selected by a major UK real estate investor and asset manager to install and operate EV charging at 17 sites in its retail portfolio. This meant securing 17 separate leases across a number of different landlord entities, each with its own title, constraints and site-specific issues, all within a tight timetable. RAW also needed to be able to:
• understand the legal and practical risks at each site before committing to it;
• agree one commercial framework that worked for both sides without being renegotiated 17 times; and
• protect its position on matters outside its control, including planning, landlord design approval, third-party consents and the electricity network connection.

We acted for RAW on the full transaction. Callum Leary and Richard Hughes are the lead lawyers assisted by Kieran Rodda.

First, we carried out a due diligence report on each of the 17 sites. This gave RAW a clear picture of title, rights, restrictions and risks at each location, and a basis for deciding how each site should progress.

Alongside that, we agreed a suite of documents:
• A framework agreement: this set out the commercial deal across the portfolio, including RAW’s exclusive appointment, the timetable for exchanging contracts on each site, and a process for handling changes to site layouts. It distinguished between minor adjustments and variations that materially affect the charging installation.
• A standard agreement for lease: this is conditional on the matters that decide whether a charging site can actually be delivered. Those conditions are landlord approval of RAW’s proposals, third-party consents, planning permission, and agreement with the relevant electricity network operators.
• A standard form of lease: this is tailored to the way a charging hub operates and includes provisions on exclusivity, relocation, termination and a right of first refusal.

The documents were drafted so each site could be adapted without reopening the whole deal. This kept the portfolio moving as a single transaction, while allowing for site-specific variations where needed.

We completed due diligence on all 17 sites and agreed the full suite of documents, giving RAW a clear route to exchange across the portfolio. The framework agreement is due to exchange imminently allowing RAW to continue to undertakes its internal due diligence. The agreed framework gives RAW a repeatable structure for the roll-out of all ~165 charging bays, so each site can be taken forward efficiently and with its risks understood from the outset. It also builds on the team’s wider experience of acquiring and developing EV charging sites for other charge point operators.

“Callum and Richard blend EV sector and property law expertise in a way that’s really helped RAW Charging accelerate project delivery. Attentive, responsive and collaborative – Greenwoods has become a trusted legal partner.”
Tom Pritchard, Head of Legal, RAW Charging

“The challenge with a portfolio like this is keeping it moving as one deal while still respecting that every site is different. Doing the due diligence on all 17 sites up front, and agreeing documents that could flex from site to site, meant RAW could take each location forward knowing where it stood.”
Callum Leary, Partner