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SJ Berwin LLP
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
SJ Berwin LLP Advises Morley Fund Management on New Partner and Anchor Tenant Signing at £350 Million Bath Southgate Scheme
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Corporate and commercial law firm SJ Berwin’s real estate division has advised Morley Fund Management on the completion of its joint venture and development management arrangement with Multi Development UK Ltd (a Dutch developer backed by MSREF) to become its partner in Southgate Limited Partnership, the developer on the £350 million+ redevelopment of Bath’s Southgate area. The proposed 470,000 sq ft scheme will rejuvenate this section of the historic city, with increased retail space, a new transport exchange, leisure facilities, restaurants and over 90 residential units. The SJ Berwin team on the JV arrangement was led by real estate partners Tom O’Grady and William Boss, with planning partner Simon Ricketts, assisted by associate Matthew Mainstone. Heather Corben, partner, and Giles Bavister, associate advised on tax issues with Ian Insley, partner advising on construction issues, assisted by Kate Kirby, associate. Bath and North East Somerset Council were advised by Gary Watson of Ashurst and Multi Development was advised by Robin Mitchell, partner at Norton Rose, assisted by Sarah Jane Bond. Nabarro Nathanson acted for the Limited partnership in respect of corporate issues. In a second major deal at the site, the same team at SJ Berwin also advised Southgate Limited Partnership’s agreement with Debenhams to be the anchor store tenant in the retail led mixed-use scheme. Debenhams will be taking a new 125,000 sq.ft. department store in Southgate. Debenhams was represented by Nick Cannon partner at Walker Morris supported by senior associate Max Morrison. William Boss commented,” The transaction was completed in an extremely short time for a letting of this significance. We managed to exchange agreements within four weeks of initial instruction. We are delighted the scheme is starting to run at such a pace.”

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