Five law firms with offices in Bristol have been appointed to Homes England’s new legal services panel to advise on a broad range of work including, property, planning and procurement.
The firms – Ashfords, Clarke Willmott, DWF, Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV) and Womble Bond Dickinson – were appointed to the 13-strong, £30m panel following a highly competitive tender process. 
The panel is for two years, with the option for the national housing agency to extend for two further years.
The firms will work with the in-house legal team and officers at Homes England (formerly Homes and Communities Agency) to advise on key legal issues which will assist in the delivery of its key priorities.
The expanded agency will play a far bigger role in investing in supply and intervening in the market to help build 300,000 homes a year by the middle of the next decade.
It will do this by bringing together money, land, expertise and planning and compulsory purchase powers to accelerate the supply of new homes and address affordability issues in areas of highest demand. The panel is divided into two lots each worth £15m
Lot 1 of the panel, which will deliver services spanning property, commercial law, banking and agricultural and environment law, includes Ashfords, Clarke Willmott, DWF and VWV.
Womble Bond Dickinson appears on Lot 2, which also covers intellectual property, financial regulation and taxation, public/administrative law and employment.
Simon Heald managing partner at Bristol-headquartered VWV, which also has offices in London, Watford and Birmingham, said: “This highly prestigious appointment demonstrates our strong public sector and property development credentials. We are thrilled to have been selected to support Homes England with this extremely significant and groundbreaking work.”
Transatlantic firm Womble Bond Dickinson team’s is being led by Bristol-based real estate partner Jonathan Bower.
He said: “This was a competitive tender process and we are delighted to have been appointed on the back of our strong legal expertise, real estate sector focus and credentials advising on real estate, finance and restructuring matters in both the public and private sector across the UK.”
Regional law firm Ashfords said its place on the panel built on its success in winning housing and regeneration work, in particular for local authority-owned development, social housing and private rental companies.
Partner and head of real estate Tim Heal, who led the team on the tender, said: “This is an exceptional win for the firm, and is a real testament to our passion and enthusiasm in the fields in which we operate and the quality of our team.
“Our knowledge and understanding has shone through and we are delighted that this has been recognised in our appointment to such a high-profile panel.”
