A FORMER senior figure at property firm Rettie & Co has launched his own Edinburgh-based consultancy, beginning life by bringing two prime buildings in the Scottish capital to market.

Will Scarlett spent 15 years heading the land and development team at Rettie, during which time he became well-known on the Edinburgh property scene. He is now in charge of his own destiny after setting up Scarlett Land and Development, whose first commission is to find buyers for Forth House and Playfair House, connected office buildings in central Edinburgh.

Scarlett is selling the properties jointly with Rettie on behalf of a London-based property fund. Forth House, currently occupied by Forth Radio, is a category B-listed townhouse on Forth Street. Playfair House is a modern office development on Broughton Street Lane, currently occupied by Curo Compensation, the Humanist Society, Social Investment Scotland and Wallace Whittle.

Scarlett will consult on land and development deals and continue to work and will, at times, continue to work with Rettie on existing development sites and land on the east of Scotland.

The agency is jointly marketing the site of the former Forth Bridges Hotels in South Queensferry, which has planning consent for 125 houses, the Touchill Farm development at Plean (167) and the Broich Road site in Crieff (300).

Mr Scarlett said: “After more than 15 years running the land and development team at Rettie & Co, I’m thrilled to be starting my own company. I’m looking forward to working with landowners, property companies and funds to manage the sale and purchase of sites and developments.”