Hugh James has been appointed to provide legal advice to Great Places Housing Group.
Great Places Housing Group is set to deliver around 2,000 new homes across the 10 Greater Manchester districts over the next few years, including the full range of tenures from social rent to shared ownership. The scheme includes both family housing and apartments such as Great Places’ Chestergate scheme within the Stockport Town Centre West regeneration zone, part of the Mayoral Development Corporation area.
The Group has appointed Hugh James to advise on matters relating to development and Plumlife sales, human resources and divestment for a 4-year period. The framework is also intended to create social value, through cost-effective legal services enabling funds to be redirected into community engagement and aesthetic enhancement projects in the Group’s core neighbourhoods.
Hugh James’s social housing team employs more than 50 lawyers, paralegals and support staff and serves a client base of over 40 housing associations and local authorities in England and Wales. The news supports Hugh James’ expansion in the North of England, from the firm’s offices located on Dean Street in Manchester. Commenting on the appointment, Hugh James Commercial Property Partner, Caroline O’Flaherty, said:
“Great Places Housing Group’s ambitious development programme is going to make a substantial difference to the people of Greater Manchester, and we are very excited to be involved.
Our appointment reflects our well-established reputation in the social housing sector and comes at an exciting time for the firm’s growth plans in Manchester. It is a privilege for us to be working with such a pre-eminent local registered provider, and we look forward to the collaboration ahead.”
Great Places Housing Group’s Procurement Manager, Bryan Simmons said:
“We are delighted to be working with Hugh James on our new Legal Services framework. We are confident the firm will be able to work with us and the clients of the framework in supporting the sector’s extensive development ambitions in the North. The firm will also assist in providing legal support and advice on HR and Divestment requirements throughout the course of the four-year framework.”
