Bevan Brittan’s new office head expects construction and property to fuel Yorkshire growth

Lyndon Campbell, a partner and commercial property lawyer with Bevan Brittan, has become head of the firm’s Leeds office.

The new head of national law firm Bevan Brittan’s Leeds office expects the property and construction sectors will remain buoyant in Yorkshire over the coming months, but he also warns that the region must not miss out on vital funding and investment. 

Lyndon Campbell

“There is no denying that the last few years have been a roller coaster, with the pandemic, economic impact of the Ukraine war and uncertainty in the UK economy,” says Lyndon Campbell. “Despite these challenges, the property and construction markets in Yorkshire have remained strong, and I anticipate that will continue.”

That trend is reflected in Bevan Brittan’s own practice, where the property, construction and commercial teams are growing. The firm is now close to appointing its 100th employee in its Leeds office, after first setting up in the city eight years ago.

“Bevan Brittan was drawn to Leeds initially because of the city’s vibrant business community. The decision to set up a base here was definitely the right move and we’ve gone from strength to strength,” he adds.

The firm has made a string of senior appointments to its Leeds-based team, most recently senior workforce and employment law specialist Andrew Uttley. partner and national head of pensions Nigel Bolton and Construction Partner Sarah Wilson moved to the firm in 2021, while real estate partner Simon Jackson and construction legal director Niamh Batterton also became part of its Yorkshire team last year.

A crucial issue for Yorkshire is funding and investment, particularly into the transport infrastructure. “We must ensure that the funding becoming available through the government’s levelling up agenda does not bypass Yorkshire,” says Lyndon. “Unfortunately, we are sometimes still seeing a push for things to happen in the south first. One indicator of that is the HS2 project, where certain aspects have been shelved or delayed further north, while progress has been made in the Midlands and the south. We still need a lot more investment into transport infrastructure to make Yorkshire more accessible.”

Members of the Bevan Brittan Leeds team will be attending the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum on 16 – 18 May. Come and join them on the second day (17 May) for breakfast and networking, followed by a panel discussion on: District Heat and Sustainability – how can we decarbonise and what’s in the pipeline? Register here.