Fife Council has appointed J&E Shepherd Chartered Surveyors to manage a disposal contract for close to 100 properties, ranging from former schools to public conveniences and development sites.

The contract, for an initial 18 month period, follows Shepherd’s earlier appointment by Fife Council two years ago to advise on the disposal of a number of its property assets. It is part of the Council’s plan to make sure it has a sustainable property portfolio that is fit for purpose and supports its customer, business, environmental and employee needs.

Niall Gunn, partner at Shepherd, said: "We are delighted to be working alongside Fife Council once more on this substantial instruction. The Council should be commended for its pioneering pro-active strategy to appoint an external consultant to manage a disposal contract with a view to aligning this with a rationalisation of its operational estate and when properties become vacant.

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"Rather than simply being reactive when an individual property becomes vacant, we will be providing a comprehensive disposal strategy encompassing all the Council properties earmarked for disposal over the period of the contract.

"We are delighted to be bringing these properties to the market and would hope that significant demand will be achieved throughout our marketing campaign with a view to achieving best price for the Council’s assets."

Michael McArdle, Lead Professional within Fife Council’s Corporate Asset Management team said: "After a rigorous and thorough procurement process Shepherd proved to be a good fit for the Council. With three offices in Fife – at Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and St Andrews –Shepherd are able to provide the in-depth local expertise and marketing advice that the Council requires."

Fife Council is the third largest local authority in Scotland providing services to a population of 350,000 over an area extending to 132,000 hectares. With a diverse portfolio of around 2000 properties and land extending to over 8000 hectares, Fife Council is also a major landholder. The Shepherd Surveying Group is a national surveying business providing its clients with decades of experience and expertise, together with national resources and comprehensive local market knowledge.

(GK)