Amy McDowell

Amy is experienced in all aspects of complex property work and has a particular specialism in onshore renewable energy and strategic land development projects – acting for both landowners and developers. Amy provides advice to clients throughout the development of a project, often from the starting point of agricultural-use land through to commercial operation, such as the commissioning of a wind farm or construction of a new town settlement.

Amy’s experience in renewable energy developments ranges from providing advice for small scale hydro developments through to 450MW+ onshore wind developments and land corridors for 4.1GW+ offshore wind developments.

She has acted in various large scale residential and mixed use developments, including a new town development with outline planning permission for circa 5,000 units. She also has considerable experience in complex portfolio sales and purchases.

Amy has particular expertise in assisting clients who are developing projects on land subject to crofting tenure. Where a proposed development site is subject to crofting rights Amy works with the developer to identify and assess the various options available to enable development to proceed.

Amy joined the firm as a Trainee and progressed through our academy process to Partner.

Sector Experience includes:

• Voluntary agreements including Crossing/Proximity Agreements and real estate aspects of Compulsory Purchase Order for onshore cable corridor for Berwick Bank 4.1GW offshore wind farm;
• Voluntary agreements, compulsory purchase, divestment, and OFTO sale relating to onshore cable corridor for 1,075MW offshore wind farm;
• Advising network operator on new transmission link to Orkney;
• Advising on Viking Energy Wind Farm, remote island windfarm on Shetland c.440MW
• Acting for network operator in the acquisition of land rights for major transmission substations for grid reinforcement and island connectors;
• Advising existing 228MW onshore wind farm on interface with proposed new wind farms, including wake loss and access sharing issues;
• Advising on proposed 95MW and various other extensions of existing onshore wind farm;
• Advising existing 522MW wind farm on interface with network infrastructure and proposed new neighbouring wind farms;
• Advising on real estate aspects in relation to proposed new and upgraded lines and substations forming part of the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment projects;
• Acting for landowner/lead developer in relation to development of Tornagrain new town, designed to be a community of c.5000 dwellings with schools, shops, employment and infrastructure;
• Acting in relation to the Winchburgh development;
• Acting in the sale of land for up to 800 dwellings at South Queensferry;
• Acting for a strategic Landowner in relation to development of land at Kilmarnock for up to 1,500 dwellings;
• Sale of Rio Tinto UK Smelter & Power operations in Scotland and England (£330m) – UK external legal team on M&A

Amy is the ESG Partner within the firm and chairs Gillespie Macandrew’s ESG Committee.