Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised British Land on its £740m rights issue as the property development company moves to shore up its finances.

British Land, the UK’s second-largest real estate investment trust, last week sold 50% of its stake in the Meadowhall shopping centre to London & Stamford Property and reported that the value of its property portfolio had declined by more than 13% in value during the fourth quarter of 2008.