Posted by Communications Director Oct 31st, 2008, in HD news
We are pleased to announce that we have expanded our property team with a senior appointment. Hesham Sabry joins the Preston office as an associate solicitor
The 32-year-old started his legal career at Blackburn-based law firm Farleys and qualified as a solicitor in 2002. He moved to Manchester firm Cobbetts where he gained a reputation as a highly respected and trusted commercial property expert.
He said: “Harrison Drury is a firm with an ambitious management team and great growth potential and this is a fantastic opportunity to join one of the up and coming commercial property law firms in the North West.”
Hesham has already begun working on key projects for local clients including, Biogen Power Limited, which specialises in energy from waste projects, the launch of new Lytham restaurant, The Sparling, and for Preston property developer Ice Blue.
John Chesworth, Harrison Drury’s managing partner, added: “In spite of the economic downturn, which is having a massive impact on the property sector, we are still busy which is why we needed to expand the commercial property team to ensure we continue to provide quality service. Hesham has the skills and experience we need to grow the firm, and he has already proved to be a great asset to the firm and its clients.”
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Posted by Communications Director Oct 31st, 2008, in Case studies
After lots of hard work, we recently secured two sites for a Lancashire-based renewable energy company to develop eco-friendly Energy from Waste (EfW) plants.
We have secured prime plots in Newport and Doncaster for BioGen Power to embark on its £600 million project to develop its advanced thermal treatment (ATT) technology that turns waste into energy across the country.
We have been retained as legal advisors on the site assembly and will also act on the acquisition of a further seven sites across England and Wales.
John Chesworth, managing partner at Harrison Drury, secured the 4 acre site at Newport Docks from Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest ports group, and the 4.25 plot in Doncaster from a private investor.
He said: “This is a major coup for Harrison Drury as BioGen Power is a big organisation with exciting plans, which tick all the right boxes relating to job creation, regeneration and using energy from waste that will drastically reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill. It has been a complex and drawn out process to complete the legal aspect of securing the sites but now that is complete its all systems go to get the two sites up and running by 2012.”
Chris Reeve, BioGen’s chief executive officer, added: “This is a major step forward for BioGen to start work on our ground-breaking technology that will help reduce landfill waste by converting it into a clean and sustainable energy source. These sites in Newport and Doncaster will be among the first in the country to operate our EfW technology, and with Harrison Drury’s help we aim to secure more plots to build and operate further plants in England and Wales.”
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Posted by Communications Director Sep 30th, 2008, in Case studies
We’ve recently advised gastro pub chain, The Sparling, on its purchase of a new site in Lytham. The Sparling has secured funding to transform the former Conservative Club building on Hastings Place in Lytham into one of the county’s finest pub and dining experiences. We have been involved in this project since the beginning of the year because the structure of the deal took some time to formulate in the current financial climate.
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Posted by Communications Director Aug 11th, 2008, in HD news
We have strengthened our wills and probate department with the appointment of a trainee solicitor to assist consultant George Erdozain. Jennifer Wilkinson, from Burscough, near Ormskirk, joins from Skelmersdale-based law firm Scott Rees & Co Solicitors, where she specialised in personal injury and probate. The 23-year-old keen sportswoman has a BA (Hons) law degree and LPC commendation, both from Liverpool John Moores University.
She said: “Harrison Drury is a modern, forward-thinking firm which practises in a way that fits in with today’s ever changing society. I am looking forward to contributing to the development of the firm, not only in my practice area but also on a wider scale.”
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Posted by Communications Director Jun 27th, 2008, in Property
Recent government proposals have stated that listed buildings are to be renamed as registered heritage assets. This legislation will see the term “listed building” scrapped in England. Under the proposed changes to the draft Heritage Protection Bill the new system will have the same Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II designations, but buildings and monuments alike will be called registered heritage assets.
This change should be very much welcome, as although the present system has served us well, it has grown over the last 100 years through incremental legislation. Today, it is a system that is over-complicated, with confusing overlaps, and hard to understand. Hopefully, any reform will simplify the system and bring greater efficiency and effectiveness, and also add clear and visible accountability. There still remains a vast amount of complex laws regarding historic buildings, which can prove a minefield for people looking to renovate listed buildings, so its is vital to get expert advice to make sure any alterations are done correctly. It is particularly relevant where historic buildings are being converted into apartments or offices, which must not only ensure that the renovations are in keeping with the building, but also comply with a variety of planning, health and safety, fire and access legislation as well.
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Posted by Communications Director Apr 20th, 2008, in HD news
We’ve completed the refurbishment of our offices in Preston. Our premises at 3 Fleet Street were part of a warehouse prior to the 1950s as it was located close to the City’s Corn Exchange, on the bank of what was the canal terminus in the 19th Century, and which has since been filled in to form Fleet Street.
We’ve transformed the historic building by creating a brand new reception and client meeting area, refurbishing some of the upper floors, as well as installing a state-of-the-art IT and telecommunication system.
Managing partner John Chesworth said: “When I joined the firm last year it was evident that the facilities needed upgrading. As a growing law firm, it is vital that our employees have the best resources available and that clients have access to fresh and modern meeting facilities.”
Jack Smith (Builders) Limited of Preston redesigned and implemented the refurbishment, whilst, Leyland-based Genesis IT & Telecommunications Limited installed the new IT system. We originally bought the building from Huntley and Palmer in the 1950s. They had used it as a confectionary and tobacco warehouse.
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Posted by Communications Director Mar 14th, 2008, in HD news
Our newly refurbished Fleet Street office is being brightened up by art work of two Newman College Applied Art and Design students. We have teamed up with the local college to promote the work of its students to Preston’s business community. The work is currently being displayed in the reception area and meeting room. A piece called Magnification by Will Linn is in the firm’s reception and Hub by Matt Lofthouse is in the meeting room. New pieces will be supplied by the college throughout the year when students complete projects. The response we have had so far from staff and clients has been very positive, and we are looking forward to receiving more artwork.
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Posted by Communications Director Feb 18th, 2008, in Case studies
We recently advised on the buy out of one of Lancashire’s largest independent social care providers which has been acquired for £2.85 million. We have been advising Ravenscroft Homelink and Practicare Ltd for 30 years and were happy to assist with the deal having worked with them for such a long time. Preston-based Ravenscroft Homelink and Practicare Ltd, both part of the Ravenscroft Group, have been bought by the Claimar Care Group Plc, a leading provider of domiciliary care services across the North West and Midlands.
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Posted by Communications Director Feb 7th, 2008, in Case studies
We have recently been very busy pulling together several projects and deal activity appears to be on the increase. In the last few months we have been appointed by new clients, the Faisaltex Charitable Trust, and the owners of The Sparling, to act on future projects. We currently have several other deals in the pipeline which shows that businesses in Lancashire are far from curtailing their ambitions for 2008, which can only be good news for the region and its economy.
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Posted by Communications Director Oct 16th, 2007, in HD news
We have strengthened our niche commercial property law unit with the appointment of a trainee solicitor. 22-year-old Kate Thompson, from Parbold near Wigan, recently graduated from the Legal Practice Course at the University of Central Lancashire. Kate will team up with John Chesworth, the head of the property unit which acts for property developers, landowners, banks, construction and building companies and surveyors across all areas of property legal matters.
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