Infrastructure & Projects Solicitors
Building Scotland's future
Major infrastructure projects are a crucial part of the UK economy. Whether schools or hospitals, roads or housing, the need to deliver major developments which bring investment and long-term benefits to communities around the land – and all for a reduced public purse - is fundamental to economic growth.
Our infrastructure & projects team is at the forefront of this sector and is a market leader in projects procured either through the hub initiative or under the Scottish non profit distributing model. The infrastructure & projects team also works closely with our award-winning public sector team in relation to complex, high-value and high-profile public sector procurements.
The team draws together highly experienced lawyers across all relevant practice areas to deliver a multi-disciplinary full-service offering to all our clients.
Our business ethos is one of high efficiency and giving the best value for our fees, which we can bring to bear in this competitive area to ensure our clients are able to deliver as much as they can for the funds that are available.
Click on the links to the right to find out more about our key areas of activity in the infrastructure & projects sector.
Speak to the market leaders
"They're certainly at the leading edge of the area. They'll do whatever's needed to get the project to close - they have expertise, commitment, drive and enthusiasm."
"They have a good reputation and good relationships on the private sector side."
HM client
Euan Pirie advises a wide range of clients including city councils, developers, project companies and contractors. He possesses considerable experience in the structuring of PPP projects in the education, healthcare and transport sectors.
Chambers UK 2021
"He gives you the best options rather than just sticking to one direction and really goes the extra mile to get the deal done in a way that is most favourable to his client."
Work examples
M8, M73, M74 Motorways Improvements NPD project
This circa £500m project involved the upgrading of the M8, M73 and M74 motorways and a number of tributary roads to improve the network serving the Glasgow and the surrounding Greater Glasgow conurbation. We acted for a consortium of five international and major UK construction companies, bidding to be appointed as contractor for the project works and who were also proposed investors in project co.
Our team advised throughout the competitive dialogue period, including providing advice in relation to and full input on the draft project agreement. We also advised the consortium in relation to key risks such as liability for existing structures, major traffic management, management of interfaces with utilities companies, interaction with rail networks and ground conditions. The team also gained extensive knowledge on how such projects are financed.
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route NPD Project
This £530m project was procured by Aberdeen City Council, involving the construction of approximately 58 kilometres of mainly new-build highway to form a by-pass for the City of Aberdeen. We acted for a consortium of international and major UK construction companies, bidding to be appointed as contractor for the project works and who were also proposed investors in project co.
The team advised the consortia throughout the competitive dialogue period, including providing advice in relation to and full input on the draft project agreement. We also provided advice on key risk areas such as the identity of the procuring authority, route of the project road, significant new structures, management of utilities companies and ground conditions risk. We developed particular knowledge of security package requirements for bond-financed projects.
Caledonian Sleeper Franchise
We acted for Arriva Trains in relation to its bid for the franchise to run this circa £375m project procured by Transport Scotland. Our role covered advising on the franchise documentation, documentation for the capital funding, property, employment and construction. We also provided advice in relation to public procurement, state aid, and competition law and merger control aspects of the project.
Inverness College New Campus NPD project
This £50m project involved the development of a new campus for Inverness College/the University of the Highlands and Islands across two sites in the North of Scotland. We acted as lead advisers to Project Co and the sponsors in relation to all of the project and finance documentation. This scheme utilised Aviva capital or lease-based project finance and established a number of market precedents that are now being followed in the other projects.
Alford Community Campus – Hub North Scotland
We advised on the £30m project involved the procurement of new community campus in Alford including a nursery, primary and secondary education facilities for almost 1000 pupils, with integrated community facilities including a library, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor sports and parking by Aberdeenshire Council pursuant to the North hub Territory framework.
This was the first school DBFM project to reach financial close under hub North Scotland’s Scotland's Schools for the Future project - a £1.25 billion programme delivered by the Scottish Futures Trust. The project saw a significant public sector capital investment, reducing the amount of private sector borrowing and rent paid by the public purse. This model had to meet stringent EU regulations and our team was instrumental in drafting the required structure.
Forres Woodside & Tain Health Centres
This was a DBFM Project completed under the Scottish Government’s hub Initiative. We acted as lead legal adviser to the Project Company (sub-hubco) and the sponsors of the project in relation to all of the project and finance documentation. This was the first time that two public sector bodies jointly entered into a single project agreement for new facilities under the hub Initiative. Our team was instrumental in devising a simple and straightforward solution to overcome the vires issues that might otherwise have prevented the project being procured in this way without the requirement for legislation. The Project is also notable as being the first Scottish revenue funded (i.e. PPP) project to close utilising Aviva’s capital or lease-based project finance solution.
Aberdeen Schools NPD Project
The team acted on this project first as advisers to the original senior lenders through the initial procurement to financial close. Throughout our involvement on this project we advised on an extensive list of unforeseen issues, including:
- Insolvency of the original service provider and procurement of the replacement service provider
- Disputes between a number of parties
- The effects of the insolvency of the construction contractor
- Major refinancing of the project
- Changes to the facilities
Dealing with these issues has given the team market leading experience of the impact of such issues to allow us to advise on the best way to ensure projects can survive.
University of Hertfordshire Student Accomodation project
We acted for Derwent Housing Association which was the facilities management contractor for and investor in the ULiv[email protected] plc which provided new student accommodation for the Hatfield campus for the University of Hertfordshire. This market leading project closed utilising a private placement bond and was one of the first of its kind in Europe. The scheme provided 3000 new student accommodation spaces for the University.
Contact us
Call us for free on 0330 159 5555 or complete our online form below for legal advice or to arrange a call back.
