Overview

Our projects team (one of the largest in the UK) is made up of award winning experts with real sector expertise in the following areas:

As well as experts in all major infrastructure including healthcare, oil and gas, highways, ports, aviation and space.

Areas of focus

Our projects expertise includes the following:

  • Running complex and highly regulated procurement projects as well as advising bidders on major projects;
  • Projects under English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish law;
  • Consenting large infrastructure;
  • Community and social infrastructure arrangements;
  • Rolling stock;
  • Commissioning and operational issues within asset and service delivery projects;
  • Financing structures and contractual arrangements;
  • Regulatory and compliance matters; and
  • Onshore and offshore outsourcing.
Experience

Advising DEFRA on the negotiation and implementation of emergency contracts to provide food boxes to individuals required to be ‘shielded’ due to C-19. We were appointed to help DEFRA work with Cabinet Office, MHCLG and providers to develop and implement a scheme in less than 3 weeks.

Advising United Kingdom Research and Innovation on the Horizon 2020 Contingency Programme, providing support on the implementation of a new grant funding scheme to replace the EU’s Horizon2020 scheme. We were appointed to help the client to work with BEIS to develop and implement a scheme in a few months to address a potential no-deal Brexit.

Advising the Government’s Vaccine Taskforce that is leading the UK’s work to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Of national and international significance, our work involves negotiating several funding agreements and contracts for the development and manufacture of a vaccines to supply the UK population.

Advising Babcock International Group Plc on its successful bid to the Metropolitan Police to restructure and design the Met’s education/training programme – 'first of its kind', Babcock is collaborating with 4 London Universities to deliver the new Future Constable Apprenticeship/Degree Programmes.

Advising the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – Global Framework for Facilities Management to be used across the FCO’s global property portfolio. Also, the letting of the first regional package under the framework for Asia Pacific.

Advising the Ministry of Defence – Falkland Islands Search and Rescue and Support Helicopters – Restructuring, including review and restructure of prime contractor contract and underlying helicopter lease arrangements.

Advising the Ministry of Defence – Next Generation Munitions Solution. Single source procurement with BAES for the manufacture and supply of munitions to the UK’s armed forces.

Advising the Department for Education – Northamptonshire County Council children’s services restructuring. Restructuring and setting up an Alternative Delivery Model for children’s services in parallel with the dissolution of the County Council following Local Government Reform and the establishment of two new unitary authorities.

Advising BayWa on the negotiation of a high profile power purchase agreement with Tesco. The scheme forms a key plank of the retail giant’s commitment to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Advising on Bristol’s ‘City LEAP’ – one of the largest and most exciting energy infrastructure projects currently ongoing in the UK, and has gained enormous publicity. Burges Salmon, as the Council’s first choice external advisors, have assisted with every aspect of this enormous project, including the extensive energy-related regulatory and commercial advice.

Advising GCP Infrastructure Investments Limited – The Eden Project announced an innovative ‘hot rocks’ geothermal heat and power project. This ground-breaking, high profile geothermal project, is one of only two going ahead in the UK and the first to find a funder and thereby unlock government funding. It is therefore highly significant – the research conducted as part of the project could literally help to create a new industry in the UK. We are delighted to be involved in such a leading-edge renewable energy project, which underlines our involvement in the country’s most exciting new energy schemes.

Advising Snowdonia Pumped Hydro Limited – This is the only type of large scale storage of electricity available. Having secured the major planning consent for the project, during 2019 the Burges Salmon team has continued to advise on a range of issues that have arisen in connection with the development, funding and construction build out of this highly innovative hydropower project.

Advising Costain as EPC contractor on the Greater Manchester waste PFI. We have advised a number of local authorities on the procurement of their waste PPP projects – including the Isle of Wight Council's 25 year integrated waste PPP, Devon County Council's Exeter city EfW and Gwynedd Council's 25 year anaerobic digestion waste treatment project.

Advising Welsh Ministers (acting through Transport for Wales (TfW)) on the procurement of the Wales and Borders rail service and South Wales Metro.

Advising a Spanish train manufacturer on a contract to provide trains and depots for Crossrail, Europe’s largest construction project. This is the largest single contract on the Crossrail project.

Advising a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock International on a ground breaking PFI/PPP project to provide the UK military with flight training.

Advising in 2019/20 on nuclear new build projects in the UK, UAE and North America as well as acting for SMR/AMR developers and hosts.

Our experience on nuclear fusion projects (ITER/STEP) is unrivalled.

Meet the team
Ian Salter

Ian Salter Partner

  • Head of Nuclear
  • Head of Projects
  • Environment
Brioney Thomas

Brioney Thomas Partner

  • Head of Transport
  • Asset Finance and Asset Backed Lending
  • Commercial
James Phillips

James Phillips Partner

  • Head of Energy & Utilities
  • Head of Energy Transition
  • Energy Regulation
Matthew Ramus

Matthew Ramus Partner

  • Head of Education
  • Defence
  • Transport
Keith Beattie

Keith Beattie Partner

  • Projects
  • Aviation
  • Defence
Mark Paterson

Mark Paterson Partner

  • Defence
  • Business Transformation
  • Central Government
Nick Churchward

Nick Churchward Partner

  • Head of Resource and Waste Management
  • Projects
  • Energy and Utilities
John Houlden

John Houlden Partner

  • Head of Public Sector
  • Head of Procurement and Subsidy Control
  • Projects
Michael Barlow

Michael Barlow Partner

  • Head of Environment
  • Head of Water
  • Head of ESG
Ross Fairley

Ross Fairley Partner

  • Energy and Utilities
  • Head of Renewable Energy
  • Environment
Simon Coppen

Simon Coppen Consultant

  • Rail
  • Transport
  • Projects
Patrick Parkin

Patrick Parkin Partner

  • Healthcare
  • Procurement and State Aid
  • Commercial
Chris Simms

Chris Simms Partner

  • Rail
  • Transport
  • Asset Finance and Asset Backed Lending

What others say...

The firm are willing to tackle the difficult issues on projects. All lawyers at the firm are confident, knowledgeable and willing to help. Burges Salmon are good at resourcing within the firm to manage large and complex projects with the work completed to a high standard.

Chambers UK 2024

Key contact

Ian Salter

Ian Salter Partner

  • Head of Nuclear
  • Head of Projects
  • Environment

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