Overview
I am a Partner, Head of the Environment team and Head of Planning Law. My team covers specialisms across a range of technical and exciting legal disciplines.
I personally specialise in advising on environmental, commercial and regulatory matters. I also advise on planning and regeneration projects. I have been ranked as ‘one of the top 50 planning solicitors in the country’ in Planning Magazine’s Guide to Planning Lawyers. I am also a recommended lawyer in The Legal 500 and Chambers.
I work with property developers and public sector clients to facilitate the development of real estate, advising across a range of environmental, regulatory and planning matters.
My environment practice includes advice on contaminated land, asbestos, waste, water, invasive species and Environmental Permits. I have also previously conducted defence work and advocacy for regulatory, environmental and planning prosecutions. However, I now commonly find that Environmental Enforcement Undertakings are more popular.
I have led on a range of commercial infrastructure projects including Crossrail, the procurement of a materials recycling facility, the construction of a power station, and the creation of the Supreme Court on Parliament Square. For the Supreme Court matter I acted as a “Roll B” Parliamentary Agent at Select Committee at the House of Commons.
I am a recommended Lawyer for Planning in the South West by the Legal 500.
Recent experience
Advising an aggregates company in relation to an apparently unlawful discharge from their excavation site and into a watercourse. The company maintained that the discharge was not their fault- as evidenced by the dispersal pattern of the pollution plume. The enforcing body were insistent on a prosecution, which the client was equally keen to avoid. I advised the client on prospects of success and then they ultimately decided to go with an Enforcement Undertaking
Acting for a Unitary Council to secure a Compulsory Purchase Order to allow the development of a strategically important piece of highway infrastructure. I acted as a trusted advisor, working beyond the purely legal scope of the assignment by supporting officers in project meetings and assisting with drafting reports
Securing planning consent that allowed a developer to go ahead with a housing development against officers’ “recommendation to refuse” and a local policy that was just one year old. I directly contacted key decision makers to provide balanced background papers, and then used my advocacy skills to successfully present the developer’s case at Committee, and secure consent, in the face of strong and vocal opposition
Advising a company with a large real estate portfolio in relation to Crossrail 2 and the client’s risk profile for a proposed transaction. I drew on my previous experience of Crossrail to advise on uncertainty and potential outcomes. This allowed the client to form a realistic evaluation of its negotiating position and asset valuation
