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Listed architect SMC Group will buy a signature practice before Christmas, chief executive Stewart McColl has revealed.

McColl said he was 鈥渧ery confident the deal will go ahead鈥� but added that the identity of the firm had to remain secret for commercial reasons.

The news comes as SMC this week became the biggest architect in the UK, following an announcement that it had made five more acquisitions. SMC now has 416 qualified architects throughout the UK, compared with 281 at 好色先生TV Design Partnership, formerly the UK鈥檚 largest firm.

Four of SMC鈥檚 acquisitions are in Scotland, making SMC the biggest player there. McColl鈥檚 company paid 拢10.7m in combined initial payments for the businesses, which will trade under the banner SMC Scotland.

The practices are Parr Architects, Jenkins & Marr, Davis Duncan and Hugh Martin Architects. They have a total revenue of 拢13m.

McColl said he could not rule out more acquisitions. He said: 鈥淲e are constantly in talks with a number of practices. We are also looking in Ireland, Wales and Europe 鈥� specifically Sweden and Denmark.鈥�

SMC has bought 13 firms since it floated in June 2005. Its full-year results in December is expected to show turnover up 152% to 拢34m and pre-tax profit up 150% to 拢7m.

The results for 2007 are also forecast to increase steeply. Turnover is predicted to increase 300% to 拢55m compared with the same period in 2005, and pre-tax profit is likely to pass 拢12m.

SMC鈥檚 clients now include BAA and Pacific Quay from Parr Architects, BP and Sainsbury鈥檚 from Jenkins & Marr, the Next Group and the Bank of Scotland from Davis Duncan and Gleneagles Hotel and Frogmore Developments from Hugh Martin Architects.

SMC has also acquired architect Hickton Madeley, a practice based in the Midlands.