LSH absorbs planning team from dissolving Erinaceous

Lambert Smith Hampton has acquired the Manchester planning team, led by Tony McAteer, from collapsed property services group Erinaceous.

The move reunites McAteer and four colleagues – director Mark Wolstenholme, associate director Nick Mills, senior planner Jennie Hann and graduate Claire Norris – with former colleagues, director Richard Moffat and associate director Katie Fluhrer, who joined LSH from Erinaceous earlier this year.

The team will work alongside LSH's Manchester's urban regeneration department, run by director Andrew Delaney, in addition to planners and development surveyors based in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Chelmsford offices.

Mark Rigby, chief executive of LSH, said: "Bringing Tony McAteer and his team into LSH is a tremendous result for us and will strengthen our ability to offer strategic, top quality national planning services to our clients. As we expand the range and breadth of our national service lines, we believe that we can offer an increasingly attractive combination of national strength and specialist expertise.

"Tony and his team bring experience as well as fresh ideas and, with our national planning, development and regeneration team now doubled in size from 12 months ago, we are taking significant strides to expand our share of this important market. It's a great fit for us and we are delighted to have the team on board."

McAteer and his team originally worked for Dunlop Heywood before it was bought by Erinaceous. He joined Dunlop Heywood in 1991.

McAteer added: "Joining LSH gives me and the team a great opportunity to be part of a business where our skills can add real value and our work can complement a more compelling and joined-up proposition for clients. LSH is a business which is clearly moving forward. Being part of a progressive and dynamic set up will be an exciting challenge – it's one we are all pleased to have."

Peter Skelton, head of LSH in Manchester, said: "We have been seeking opportunities to expand our capabilities in the North West and I am very pleased to have attracted Tony and his colleagues to LSH. This will enhance further the multi-disciplinary service we offer our clients."

The move came shortly after around 15 remaining staff at the Manchester office of Erinaceous, which went into administration earlier this week owing £250m, were made redundant and told they would not be paid for April. Seven staff in the property management, facilities management and landlord and tenant teams in Manchester will transfer to Eddisons, the Leeds-based firm that bought those divisions on Tuesday.