Planning & Environmental

Key Contact

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Overview
Work
Accolades
Meet The Team

The UK planning system is evolving and becoming more complex – and we know all there is to know about it. A highly experienced national team of planning experts, we have a proven track record in advising businesses on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious issues relating to UK planning law.

With a footprint in both England and Wales, our sought-after team is uniquely able to provide expert advice on the devolved and diverging planning regimes of both England and Wales, making us an authority in the field as legislation continues to progress.

Similarly, as the UK deploys ever more stringent Environmental laws, our team offers specialist expertise, particularly within the Health and Safety sector. We are respected for our work advising and defending organisations in their dealings with the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency, local authorities and other government regulators.

The strength and depth of our wider firm practice means that clients benefit from a holistic approach to both planning and environmental matters. As a pre-eminent firm for major infrastructure, regeneration and housing schemes across the UK, our planning and environment team delivers key support to the work of our distinguished real estate, real estate finance and construction teams.

Areas of Expertise – Town and Country Planning (in England and Wales)

  • Planning enforcement
  • Certificates of Lawful Use or Development
  • Planning agreements (such as Section 106, Drainage and Highways)
  • Infrastructure projects
  • Judicial and statutory reviews
  • Listed buildings and conservation areas
  • Localism including neighbourhood planning and assets of community value
  • Planning appeals (including cost recovery)
  • Urban regeneration
  • Strategic planning advice
  • Community Infrastructure Levy advice
  • Development plan issues
  • Rights of Way (private and public)
  • Common land and town and village greens

 

Areas of Expertise – Environmental and Regulatory

  • Environmental liabilities
  • Environmental judicial reviews and prosecutions
  • Environmental Impact Assessments
  • Climate change governance and reporting
  • Managing contaminated land
  • Asbestos
  • Producer responsibility obligations
  • Health and safety
  • Pollution controls
  • Waste management
  • Water and sewerage
  • Community engagement
  • Policy advice on changes to environmental regulation
  • Training on environmental obligations
  • Advising on all the planning and environmental aspects of the site development of Eden Living’s launch of an innovative private rented sector business, focusing on the acquisition and subsequent letting of newly built housing in South Wales and the South West of England
  • Advising Boatfolk Marinas Limited on matters associated with planning applications for marinas and use of boats, also carrying out due diligence on planning conditions and Section 106 agreements
  • Advising Quinbrook/Private Energy Partners on the planning history, conditions and requirements necessary to locate a development on the former Uskmouth coal-fired power station site
  • Advising Marshal European Investment Co I Sarl on the planning permissions necessary to carry out residential developments in the UK, including consideration of satisfaction of planning conditions, drafting and reviewing planning agreements under Section 106 and Section 278/38, plus advice on CIL, SUDS and affordable housing obligations
  • Advising Rightacres Property Co Limited on all the planning for the development of the former Brains Brewery site in Cardiff, known as Central Quay, and handling necessary enabling infrastructure works with another developer to undertake the development of residential units
  • Advising Principality Building Society on all the planning and environmental aspects of its involvement in funding the Mill development project in Cardiff, a £100 million residential-led urban regeneration project on the site of an old paper mill. This included the ongoing planning trackers and satisfaction of conditions, satisfaction of affordable housing obligations, completion of sectional agreements and reviewing and agreeing forms of Section 106 Agreement
  • Successful application (opposed by the Open Spaces Society and Natural England) to the Secretary of State (Defra) to carry out works on common land in Wimborne, Dorset, facilitating significant new housing development for Gleeson Developments Limited
  • Leading Appeal Court case confirming the Secretary of State cannot call-in a planning appeal after an appeal decision has been issued
  • Successful judicial review of decision to grant planning permission to a “swim with dolphins” facility off the coast of Anguilla, BWI
  • Successful challenge to development where the developer had failed to serve proper notice on third-party landowners
  • Successful judicial review of a decision by the Council to register housing development land as a Town or Village Green to prevent development

Accolades

  • The Planning & Environmental Team is ranked Tier 2 in The Legal 500

Testimonials

“The team provides commercially astute advice, that takes into account wider issues such as tax liabilities or timescales.”

“The firm has comprehensive knowledge of land and property issues, that transcend purely legal matters.”

Jennifer Butcher, Senior Associate at Acuity Law

Jennifer Butcher

Partner
 
Jim Ryan, Partner at Acuity Law

Jim Ryan

Consultant Partner
 

Richard Voke

Consultant Partner
 

Stephen McColgan

Consultant Partner
 
Steve Morris, Construction Partner at Acuity Law

Steve Morris

Partner
 
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