The Birmingham office of law firm Mills & Reeve is advising on the £14.8 million redevelopment of the Midlands Arts Centre (Mac).

The firm is acting for Birmingham City Council, along with the city’s internal legal team.

The Mac closed its doors in April for major redevelopment works which will see the Cannon Hill Park arts venue replaced by a three-storey building housing a new gallery, enlarged and improved bar, cafe, social areas, new offices, a 2,000 sq ft performing arts studio plus a new reception and ticket office.

The cost of the project is being met by a £6,632,497 Arts Council England grant, with Birmingham City Council contributing £6,215,000 and the Mac providing £1,985,000.

Property, construction and charity experts Dennis Macharaga, Robbie Turner and Susan Taylor respectively from Mills & Reeves have advised on the deal.

The firm advised on the development agreement between the council and mac; the granting of a new lease to mac; the funding agreement with the Arts Council, and obtaining charity commission consent.

Dennis Macharaga, an associate specialising in regeneration in the real estate team at Mills & Reeve lead the legal team.

He said: “We drew up a team of skilled experts to work alongside the Council’s in-house lawyers on a number of legal issues that will help smooth the way for the re-opening of one of the city’s flagship cultural destinations.”

John Wynn, assistant director of the public law and property division of Birmingham Legal Services, said: “Our call-off arrangements with external firms, which we are shortly about to re-procure, provide us with added strength and support – as with this case. Dennis and his colleagues at Mills & Reeve have assisted internal legal staff in helping to deliver a revived Mac for the citizens of Birmingham.”

Mills & Reeve will be offering ongoing advice right up until the Mac reopens in autumn 2009.