Investment in the Highlands and Islands has continued to be strong over the past year, despite the Covid pandemic, according to a senior lawyer in the area.
Karren Smith, a partner at Scottish law firm Brodies, said land had remained a “highly valuable asset for investors” and also highlighted the variety of commercial activity at the region’s ports.
Brodies, which has offices in Dingwall, reported a busy 12 months for its clients in the public and private sectors in the north.
The firm is involved in significant work at a number of ports, including acting for Stornoway Port Authority in the development of its £45million deep water terminal.
It is providing contractual support for the decommissioning of the Northern Producer rig, currently anchored at Kishorn Port, and advised Orbital Marine Energy on the development and launch of the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, in Orkney.
Its legal services have also been sought in the acquisition and development of land for various purposes. They include plans for a 50-lodge holiday park at Beaufort Castle, near Beauly, and the development of hundreds of homes across Inverness and other locations across the Highlands, for housebuilders including Tulloch Homes and Pat Munro.
Ms Smith said: “The diverse scope of work that we have undertaken for our clients in the last 12 months is testament to the fact that the Highlands and Islands continues to be a region where investment is strong and clients are getting on with business, against the backdrop of an unprecedented year.
Land continues to be a highly valuable asset for investors, who see opportunity in tourism, property, renewable energy and forestry, while we are reminded of the versatility of our region’s ports through the range of commercial projects they are involved in.
She continued: “We’ve also seen a diverse mix of work across sectors, including projects that are ambitious and innovative in their development and approach.
“We expect to see these strong activity levels continue as new and existing long-term infrastructure projects are rolled out and we remain committed to helping our clients to achieve their objectives in the coming year.”
Brodies, which opened its offices in Dingwall in 2018, now has a team of 15 in the Highlands and Islands.
