Robert Williams > Cornerstone Barristers > London, England > Barrister Profile

Robert Williams

020 7242 4986 robertw@cornerstonebarristers.com

Work Department

Public law; planning and environment; property.

Career

Rob is a specialist in public and administrative, planning and environmental, and compulsory purchase law. He is appointed  to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Counsel to the Crown.

He regularly appears in the higher courts, and at inquiries, on behalf of central and local government,  other public bodies and private parties. Recent examples of his work include:

Court work

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government v Ikram [2021] EWCA Civ 2 – Acting on behalf of the Secretary of State in a statutory appeal to a planning inspector’s decision to quash an enforcement notice, and grant permission for use of a building as a mosque. The central issues included the extent to which subsequent planning obligations are capable of remedying defects in conditions.

Relta Ltd v Greater London Authority [2017] EWHC 671 (Admin) – appeared for the GLA in respect of a judicial review challenge to the decision by the London of Mayor to designated Bromley Town Centre as a Housing Zone. The claim raised issues of interpretation and application of the Mayor’s policy.

R (on the application of Headcorn Parish Council) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2017] EWHC 970 – represented SSCLG in a judicial review challenge to the Secretary of State’s screening direction in respect of a proposed housing development.

Planning appeals

Pump Lane, Medway (2021) – 6-week inquiry. Proposed mixed-use development, including 1250 homes. Recovered for determination by the Secretary of State. Acting on behalf of local planning authority.

Andover Business Park, Test Valley (2018) – represented the LPA in a six-day inquiry on the issue of whether a planning obligation which barred lorries from using certain highway routes was necessary and met the Reg 122 tests.

Buckles Wood Farm, North Chailey (2018) – appeared on behalf of the promoter of a 35-unit housing scheme at a five-day inquiry, raising issues including the relative sustainability of the proposal in an area where there are significant environmental constraints.

Tamworth Farmhouse, Reigate (2018) – acted for a Rule 6 party/neighbour in a seven-day enforcement inquiry raising a wide range of issues including validity of the notice, immunity from enforcement, and impact on Green Belt of a vehicle depot.

Climate litigation

Rob’s practice involves a wide range of climate-related matters. In this field he acts for and advises promoters, operators, regulators, and government, both central and local.  His experience includes:

“Recharge One” – acting for the promoters of an electric vehicle service-station located in the South Downs National Park which is to be powered and heated entirely by biomethane;

Promoting HS2 Hybrid Bill in Parliament – HS2 is being designed and built to be the most sustainable high-speed rail network in the world;

Large scale on-shore wind-farms – appearing at planning inquiries for promoters and planning authorities in England and Wales;

Local Plan examinations

Guildford Local Plan examination (2018) – advised and acted Guildford Borough Council in the preparation for, and examination of, their Local Plan.

West Sussex County Council Joint Minerals Local Plan examination (2017) – represented the primary objectors to the main allocation for soft sand extraction in the draft Local Plan. This resulted in the proposed allocation of a soft sand quarry being deleted from the plan, and the policy being found unsound.

Memberships

Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA); Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA).

Education

Called: 2008