THE HIGHLY successful Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre (ESPC) is considering opening a property centre in London.

Although the precise details of its plans are being kept under wraps, ESPC chief executive Annie Murray said it was considering “something that would be akin to Edinburgh”.

In Edinburgh the ESPC has managed to capture 90 per cent of the property market with its property display centre, run by a group of solicitors who then offer house buyers financial and conveyancing services.

The successful Scottish solicitors' property centres have provided the inspiration for the drive to set up a similar network of centres in England and Wales.

Last month they were cleared by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which said that although they did have a monopoly, it was in the public interest.

ESPC's move has won the support of the Solicitors Property Group, which is made up of more than 100 conveyancing firms in England and Wales.

The group, which has refused to support the property centres being planned by the English company Solicitors Property Centres, is planning to hold a series of conferences on property selling in Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol and London in late October and

November. It is thought likely that more details of the ESPC plans will be revealed at these conferences.