We have acted for some of the largest housebuilders in the UK for over 20 years. Our in-depth expertise and broad experience gives us a sound understanding of the national, strategic and site-specific issues affecting the housebuilding industry.
Our knowledge of the market enables us to fulfill the role of trusted commercial adviser, providing proactive advice in line with our clients’ strategic corporate objectives.
We have a reputation for providing consistently high quality service and commercial approach to the acquisition, strategic planning, development and disposal of sites across the UK, and our standing in this sector finds us successfully acting for a growing number of landowners to ensure best value (both in the short term and in the long term) on sales to housebuilders.
Over the years we have established strong and lasting relationships with major players in the housebuilding industry and we maintain a collaborative approach to delivering projects with other consultants in the property market.
Our services include: site acquisitions and disposals; strategic option agreements and promotion agreements; collaboration agreements and development agreements; planning applications, appeals and negotiating planning agreements; funding and finance; environmental advice; resolution of disputes; and plot sales.
Taylor Wimpey plc
Acting on behalf of Taylor Wimpey plc for over twenty years on hundreds of development sites large and small across the whole of Scotland - including the acquisition and ongoing development of Phase 1, Newton, Cambuslang which forms part of the Cambuslang Community Growth Area consisting of more than 800 houses and including four land sales with a total value in excess of £25 million. We are also providing Taylor Wimpey with planning and property advice in relation to Phase 2 of the Newton site which will consist of a mixed use development covering 128 hectares, with potential for 1,500 houses.
Miller Homes Ltd
We acted for Miller Homes Ltd in a £9 million purchase from Glasgow City Council in respect of an area of ground at Crookston, Glasgow. The site is bordered by a previous Miller development from the late 1980s and the new site will allow a development of approximately 265 new houses.
Taylor Wimpey plc
Acting for Taylor Wimpey plc in respect of all aspects of the acquisition (including a complex joint venture structure with the landowner and a collaboration agreement with another major developer) remediation and subsequent development of the former British Leyland car manufacturing site at Bathgate. The site, one of the largest development sites in Scotland, has planning consent for approximately 2,000 houses, most of which have now been successfully built out. We also acted in sales of a number of development pods to other developers and successfully acted in a high value dispute with a contractor on site.
Miller Homes Ltd
We act on behalf of Miller Homes Ltd in the development of the former Glasgow Zoo site in the east end of Glasgow. The Zoo closed in 2003 and planning consent has now been obtained for approximately 600 new homes to be built on the site. We have dealt with the purchase by Miller of a number of phases of the development site, in deals with neighboring landowners in respect of access, in site assembly and in negotiation of the Section 75 Agreement and all other aspects of the site.
Taylor Wimpey plc
Acting on behalf of Taylor Wimpey plc in respect of all aspects of their large development site at Duloch Park, Dunfermline. The site has planning permission for several thousand houses and also included a large leisure area (which now includes an Odeon cinema), a supermarket, a sports centre and an Amazon Distribution Centre. We acted in respect of a number of sales of various parts of the development to other residential developers, in a number of planning applications, planning agreements and in respect of several transfers to affordable housing providers.
Gladedale Ventures Ltd
Acting for Gladedale in relation to the Quartermile Development, Edinburgh, a £450 million mixed use residential, commercial and leisure development, including advice on site assembly, disposal and residential units sales; drafting, negotiating and concluding construction contracts (including building contracts, appointments and development agreements) for various residential phases of the development; and negotiating the Section 75 Agreement.
I&H Brown Limited
We currently act for I & H Brown Limited in a number of strategic development sites, including the proposed regeneration of the former Cannerton Brickworks, Banknock. This is a 67 acre site has planning for housing and retail.
Acting on behalf of Landowners
We act for a number of landowners from large companies (for example BAE Systems) to large private estates, to Councils (including East Dunbartonshire Council, East Renfrewshire Council and City of Edinburgh Council) and Housing Associations to private individuals in respect of land sales and Option Agreements with all of the major residential house builders, including dealing with complicated overage and clawback provisions.
The Glasgow Housing Association
We act for The Glasgow Housing Association (and associated companies including the Wheatley Housing Group and Lowther Homes Limited) on a number of new build developments in and around Glasgow, including negotiating arrangements between GHA and private sector developers and local housing associations, drafting complex bespoke Development Agreements and purchases of new build properties constructed by other developers.
Affordable Housing
We act for a number of developers in relation to the property and construction aspects of the transfer of sites to affordable housing providers including sites at Slateford Road, Edinburgh, Prestonpans, Dalkeith, Peebles, Bishopbriggs, Bonnyrigg and Kippielaw including the drafting of a number of bespoke Development Agreements.
