Harper Macleod appointed legal advisers for 21st century homes for Edinburgh, Gracemount Developments

Leading Scottish commercial law firm, Harper Macleod LLP has been appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council to act as legal advisers on the first phase of the 21st Century Homes for Edinburgh Programme.

After a competitive tender process, Harper Macleod is working with the City of Edinburgh Council's Legal Team to provide legal support and advice on the implementation of the proposed Competitive Dialogue procurement process for the Gracemount housing development.  Phase 1 of the project, due to start in May 2010, will consist of 40% council homes, 10% shared equity and 50% for market sale. Over the next 8 years the Council aims to build 1300 homes in Gracemount, Pennywell & Muirhouse and North Sighthill.

Harper Macleod has considerable expertise within the Public Sector marketplace and was the first Scottish commercial law firm to develop a practice group dedicated to a specialism in law for the benefit of all of those operating within the social housing sector. In June 2006, Scottish Ministers commissioned Harper Macleod Chairman, Professor Lorne Crerar to evaluate the system of scrutiny of public services in Scotland. In September 2007 his published report, The Crerar Review, was broadly welcomed by UNISON.

The firm has been heavily involved in the large-scale voluntary transfer process and has acted for RSLs, Local Authorities, Scottish Homes or funders in over 100 housing stock transfers in Scotland - more than any other firm of advisers. We advised the Glasgow Housing Association in relation to all Scots law aspects of its acquisition of the entire housing stock of Glasgow City Council and advised Scottish Borders Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) in respect of their LSVTs. 

Harper Macleod Chairman, Professor Lorne Crerar says: "Ours is a systematic approach that's appreciated by more and more local authorities. We are delighted to be working with the City of Edinburgh Council and the recent appointment of 'one of Scotland's foremost social housing lawyers' Derek Hogg (Chambers UK: A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession) to the Housing and Community Development Practice Group proves our commitment to delivering legal services to clients who require practical advice in one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the UK".

Established in 1988, Harper Macleod has 42 Partners, 126 Fee Earners and a complement of over 250 staff based in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness.  The firm is noted for its expertise in Corporate, Real Estate, Recoveries & Insolvency, Energy and Renewables, Litigation, Sports, Employment and Insurance & Reparation. Clients include The Scottish Government, The Department for Work & Pensions, The Forestry Commission Scotland, Highland & Islands Enterprise, The Scottish Premier League, William Hill, Airtricity, Optical Express and Tulloch Homes.