The Legal 500

Work Department

Land resources, planning and environment group – head.

Position

Partner and head of the planning and environment group specialising in planning and environment law; advises on all aspects of development and land use including: inquiry advocacy; planning permissions; statutory orders and private bills; development plans; appeals; planning agreements; enforcement procedures; compulsory purchase and compensation, judicial review and statutory appeals; recently acted as inquiry advocate for Scottish Borders Council in respect of the parliamentary inquiry regarding the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill. Appointed as legal adviser to promoters of Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill and the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. Clients include transport initiatives Edinburgh; Associated British Ports, Wimpey, Richmond Homes, Kwik Fit, Clackmananshire Council, Scottish Borders Council. Lead partner on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Railway team which won the ‘Client Specialist Team of the Year 2006’ at The Cuthbert Scottish Legal Awards 2006.

Career

Trained Glenrothes Development Corporation; qualified 1987; principal solicitor and legal clerk to Fife Council planning committee; legal associate of Royal Town Planning Institute 1997; accredited as specialist in planning law by Law Society of Scotland 1999; partner Anderson Strathern, 2001. Major projects include Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway; Troon roll-on roll-off ferry terminal; Borders Railway and Edinburgh Airport Rail Link; specialises in inquiry advocacy. Regular speaker at conferences including: 2007 on Transport and Works (Scotland) Act 2007, Scottish Planning and Environment Annual Conference 2003.

Member

Legal associate Royal Town Planning Institute; Writer to Her Majesty’s Signet; adviser on Law Society Planning sub-committee.

Education

Lornshill Academy; Dundee University (1983 LLB; 1984 Diploma in Legal Practice).

Leisure

Fishing, hillwalking and his two Utonagan dogs.

Practice Areas

Environment; Planning; Transport - general