Eversheds has won a major instruction from leading property developer MEPC on its one million sq ft development in Watford.

All legal work on the development at Leavesden Park has so far been given to MEPC's primary property adviser Linklaters & Alliance, but the MEPC moved this month to use Eversheds on the remaining planning aspects of the deal.

Eversheds national planning head Rod Bull was called in two weeks ago to lead the Eversheds team on the deal.

"We were contacted and invited to make a proposal. I am not aware that we were in competition with anyone," Bull said.

He expects the instruction to be complicated by a number of highways issues and a likely appeal.
The deal promises to be one of the most high profile planning instructions of the year.

The development includes a business park, hotel and the new film studios for Warner Brothers – the UK's first purpose-built studio development for 50 years.

BT has already committed itself to taking on three of the six office buildings and the studio is already up and running.

This is the first time for a number of years that the firm has worked for MEPC. Eversheds acted for it three years ago on a development in Warrington, but the company has since gone through a corporate restructure and reorganised its advisers.

The instruction is a double boost for Eversheds' national planning team, securing a major instruction for the national firm, but also edging out MEPC's favoured regional adviser, Midlands giant Wragge & Co.

This is the second time in as many weeks that the firm has taken on a project also involving Linklaters, widely regarded as the City's top property adviser. Eversheds was brought in to advise Lend Lease on its flagship shopping centre Bluewater.