Sara Powell

Sara Powell is a Consultant Partner within the Planning, Environmental and Regulatory Teams.

Sara advises developers, landowners, businesses and community groups on planning and environmental matters. She provides strategic advice on planning applications, appeals and regulatory issues, supporting clients across the infrastructure, water, development and agricultural sector. Sara is particularly recognised for her expertise in water regulation and environmental permitting, including abstraction, wastewater, pollution control and water quality considerations.

She has significant experience advising on nutrient impacts, including nitrogen and phosphorus, and the implications of nutrient neutrality and habitats requirements on development. Sara also advises on nature-based solutions, including constructed wetlands, and the evolving regulatory frameworks governing their use in environmental mitigation.

Working at the intersection of planning policy, environmental regulation and infrastructure delivery, Sara helps clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes and achieve outcomes that are both legally robust and commercially practical. She also advises on renewable energy and infrastructure projects where environmental constraints and protected sites are key considerations.

Building on her planning, environmental and regulatory practice, Sara also advises on the planning and regulatory dimensions of private parking provision and its impact on local businesses, communities and the visitor economy. Drawing on her experience of public law, land use and regulatory decision-making, she helps communities respond to problematic parking operators,  where unreliable systems and aggressive enforcement harm local trade and deter visitors  and advises on practical solutions, from lawful use, access rights and enforcement to community-led models for fair, sustainable parking that retains the benefit for the area.Sara is a member of the UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA) and regularly works on matters across Wales. She understands the importance of providing accessible, bilingual legal support, particularly in the context of public law, planning and environmental decision-making.

Sara is known for her clear, pragmatic approach and her ability to integrate technical environmental evidence with legal analysis. Her previous experience within a major environmental regulator provides valuable insight into regulatory processes and decision-making.

Outside of practice, Sara finds balance in the coastal landscapes of West Wales, enjoying time in nature with her family and loved ones.

*Sara Powell is a Consultant at Acuity Law working on a self-employed basis*

Expertise

• Planning and environmental law
• Water regulation and environmental permitting
• Nutrient neutrality and water quality (nitrogen and phosphorus)
• Infrastructure, development and agricultural regulatory matters
• Nature-based solutions and environmental mitigation strategies
• Renewable energy and environmentally constrained development
• Strategic advisory at the intersection of planning, regulation and infrastructure