Planning guru Malcolm Scott says his company’s merger with leading Midlands property consultancy Harris Lamb “has put a spring in everybody’s step”.

Malcolm Scott Consultants joined Harris Lamb last Monday after a deal that will see them move into the new owner’s Worcester office in the near future. Harris Lamb, who are to keep the Malcolm Scott name and the services of Scott and his fellow director Chris Primett, also has offices in Birmingham and Stoke on Trent.

Scott told GTN Xtra that the deal, which followed an initial approach by Harris Lamb, suited the plans and ambitions of both parties. “For some time we have wanted to break into a different part of planning and they have wanted to do more in the garden centre sector,” he said. “They have a big planning team and their offices in Worcester are just around the corner, so it made a lot of sense. It has put as spring in everybody’s step.”

Scott says the merger will keep the business ahead of the game as the garden industry becomes more corporate. “It gives us more access to corporate clients and to a lot of experience in that area.”

He said a number of garden centre groups and larger independents were now drawing on services like those offered by Harris Lamb, beyond the industry’s boundaries, in order to meet their owner’s business needs. He cited issues like investment and exit strategies, property management, sale and leaseback opportunities and high covenant strength concessions.

As garden centres were getting bigger and more valuable and planning legislation more complex, the industry needed innovative planning and development advice that reflected best thinking in the wider retail and leisure fields, as well as specific garden centre operational knowledge.

“I look forward to the future with great enthusiasm,” Scott said in a statement. “The new team is even stronger with experience in depth of retail, commercial and property advice. Perfectly matched to add to our well known garden centre consultancy. We will continue to serve large and small clients to the very best of our ability.”