Robert Muckle - Building for the future

Dec 11 2006 By The Journal

Set against the background of a buoyant national and regional property market, commercial law firm Robert Muckle LLP has recently been advising on deals stretching from Cornwall to Berwick as demand for its property services continues to grow.

It has built its growth not only on the back of winning new clients in the North-East and by increasingly winning work outside the region, but also from its strong client base both in the public and private sectors.

Head of the property services group Jonathan Combe said:"We have built up an impressive team at the firm which has the knowledge, experience and skills to provide clients with a comprehensive and expert service.

"Our appointment to One NorthEast's property panel earlier this year was a major boost for us and a recognition of how far we have come.

"We see the public sector as an enormous market for us and one which we believe we are well placed to serve."

Going hand in hand there has been a steady expansion in the firm's personnel and they have built up an impressive team adding more depth and expertise. The group now has five partners and 25 lawyers.

The team recently visited the Tyneside Cinema to hear about its redevelopment plans. Robert Muckle continues to advise the cinema in respect of the extensive refurbishment of their current premises at The Newe House on Pilgrim Street and the temporary relocation of the cinema to Gateshead Old Town Hall

The property group has advised on the construction issues involved and provided assistance in respect of the funding the cinema has successfully secured to enable the redevelopment to go ahead.

A recent new recruit to the team is property partner Ryan Bannon from Dickinson Dees who specialises in property development. Ryan is currently working for Teesside-based developer Mandale on a large office development in Barnsley and another development at the Bonded Warehouse site in Newcastle.

Since September, the group has added further resource having recruited six new lawyers and a new town planner, Kathryn Newsome.

The property team also continues to act for long-standing clients such as City and Northern, Easter Developments, Barratt Homes, Jomast, Millhouse Group, Able UK, HJ Banks and Rokeby Developments and has also attracted new clients such as Parian Developments, Mandale and Arriva plc.

The property team has also built on the success of acting for Irish developer, McAleer & Rushe, on its highly successful £90m St James' Gate development in Newcastle

The group is currently instructed by McAleer & Rushe on similar-sized mixed-use schemes in Nottingham, Sheffield, Brighton, Southampton and Plymouth and is also acting on hotel developments for the same client in Exeter and Milton Keynes.

Another long-standing client is Project Genesis. Robert Muckle is advising them with their plans to regenerate and develop the 700-acre site at the former Consett steelworks.

The latest phase includes a £25m, 40-acre sports and leisure centre in Consett which includes a sports hall, 25m swimming pool, badminton courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, 15 outdoor football pitches and a gym. The complex will also include a new ground for Consett AFC.

Jonathan Combe said: "At Robert Muckle we provide a service which takes property projects through from inception to completion and occupation, offering project management skills, planning consultancy and the ability to advise clients on issues surrounding construction, funding and the environment, often working closely with the Robert Muckle commercial team in its corporate finance work.

"The property market is very buoyant at the moment, providing us with the opportunity to grow and develop our property team. Ahead of the firm's move in early 2008 to Time Central, our new 44,000sq ft premises at Gallowgate, strategic growth has enabled us to attract clients from all across the UK as they realise that all of the necessary skills - which would once only have been found in London - are now available in the North-East."

Page 2: Easter rising to the challenge