Legal advice for construction contract and lease agreements during expansion of Agro Food Park near Aarhus

In the summer of 2022, Agro Food Park located in Skejby could open a 8,300 m2 newly built, sustainable multi-user building, which together with three other multi-user houses forms the framework for an innovative entrepreneurial environment for businesses in the agricultural and food industry.

The Danish Agriculture & Food Council was the developer of the new multi-user house “Park 26” and the Council also owns Agro Food Park. Headed by Holger Schöer and his team, Holst, provided advice during the whole process. Services included advice and drafting of the construction contract and lease agreements for the future users of the building.

It was important for the developer that the construction contract combined sustainability and budget security. Holst, contributed to thinking differently in the drafting of the construction contract, which was drawn up as a trust-based collaboration with built-in partnering elements – including the “open book” principle.

As expected, the selected form of agreement was quite the correct one. The construction was handed over on time. The budget was kept. And the building was granted a DGNB gold certificate, which was one of the criteria for success for the new building.

About the collaboration with Holger Schöer, Director of Real Estate Thomas Funch-Hansen says:

“As a client, it has been a pleasure to have Holger as a partner in a non-standard construction contract with the contractor. His counselling ensured a continuous focus on the greater joint benefits in the collaboration with the contractor. He was a strong legal support with great experience in the industry when at inevitable times, different opinions could challenge the cooperation. This ensured that at no time did the project escalate into any conflicts, but that both sides remained solution-oriented.”