News | Real Estate

Tuesday 17th October 2006

Corporate and commercial law firm SJ Berwin LLP has advised Gazeley on the acquisition of a 40 acre site in East Lancashire Road, just outside Liverpool.  The site was acquired from United Utilities Property Solutions Limited a subsidiary of United Utilities plc for just over £11.9 million.

Gazeley intends to develop the site for warehouse/distribution use through the G Park template being employed nationwide.

Darren Rogers summarised: "It is exciting that the acquisition will foster on-going links between the clients. The team work between both sides was an important and refreshing factor in ensuring that the deadlines were met."

The SJ Berwin team was led by Darren Rogers, associate, advising on real estate issues with associate Melissa King, associate Jo Bainton advising on planning and Giles Bavister, on tax. United Utilities was advised by real estate partner Peter Kershaw of Addleshaw Goddard assisted by Colette Banks

For further information please contact:

Darren Rogers on +44 (0)20 7111 2794, email darren.rogers@sjberwin.com  or Karen Roberts on +44 (0)20 7111 2578, email karen.roberts@sjberwin.com 

• On 1 June 2005 SJ Berwin LLP, an English limited liability partnership, took over the business of the SJ Berwin general partnership.  SJ Berwin LLP or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich and Paris.
  
  
• SJ Berwin LLP was named 'UK Firm of the Year' at the 2005 Legal Week Awards.  The award recognised SJ Berwin’s five years of international expansion and its involvement in a series of high quality deals.
  
  
• SJ Berwin's Real Estate Division totals 118 staff of which 21 are partners in London and 50 associates, encompassing the disciplines of Commercial Real Estate, Construction, Planning & Environment, Property Litigation and Real Estate Funds.  In addition, there are 3 dedicated real estate tax partners in London and 1 dedicated real estate partner in Paris.  There is an increasing emphasis on cross firm activity with related areas of Banking and Corporate and with the international offices.  The division acts for blue chip clients including British Land, Royal Bank of Scotland, the Hilton Group, Brixton plc, AXA, The Crown Estate, Marks & Spencer and Gazeley.
  
  
• The Real Estate Team is Legal Business Real Estate Team of the Year 2005.  It was also named "Real Estate Team of the Year" in the Lawyer Magazine Awards 2004, following its advice on the RBS/Canary Wharf transaction the highest-value property investment transaction in the UK in 2004.
  
  
• Revenue from Real Estate represents approximately 21% of the firm's total revenue in London.