Infrastructure (parliamentary) in London

BDB Pitmans

BDB Pitmans retains a strong and large practice that is capable of handling the full range of parliamentary work, acting for a range of transportation infrastructure providers, landowners, registered charities and local councils on the promotion of private bills and secondary pieces of infrastructure legislation as well as on objections to parliamentary infrastructure projects. In addition to having prepared and promoted private bills for the likes of Royal Albert Hall and the Bishop’s Stortford Town Council on land expansions and charter updates, the team maintains a prolific record of preparing Transport and Works Act Order applications and has handled Development Consent Orders in connection with airport and highway expansions. Energy and carbon capture projects are a further area of specialism for the team, which is led by planning expert Mark Challis and further benefits from the expertise of experienced Roll A Parliamentary Agents Nick Evans, Sarah Clark, and Angus Walker, all of whom are well-equipped to promote bills for major infrastructure schemes. Parliamentary Agents David Mundy, who represents many HS2 petitioners in their objections to the project, and Mustafa Latif-Aramesh are also highly recommended.

Practice head(s):

Mark Challis


Other key lawyers:

Nick Evans; Sarah Clark; Angus Walker; David Mundy; Mustafa Latif-Aramesh


Testimonials

‘The strength and depth of BDB Pitmans’ team makes them the stand-out Parliamentary Agents’

‘Nick Evans has deep knowledge of parliamentary issues with an excellent manner in communicating clear and sound advice.’

Key clients

Bishop’s Stortford Town Council


East Suffolk Council


Environment Agency


Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust


London Luton Airport


National Audit Office


National Highways


Northern Ireland Assembly


Riveroak Investments


Royal Albert Hall


Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP‘s team of Parliamentary Agents and clerks maintains an excellent reputation for its infrastructure advice and promotes bills, Transport and Works Act Orders, and Development Consent Orders in relation to some of the largest transportation, ports, and energy projects across the country. The team is noted across the sector for its promotion of Hybrid Bills for and its advice on the implementation of the HS2 railway project, and it has also advised on secondary legislation in relation to major railway expansions, developments, and upgrades for the likes of Network Rail. Harbour Orders are another area of specialism for the team, which is instructed by seaports across the country to advise on logistics and renewable energy schemes. The practice benefits from the ‘excellent commercially minded and dynamic leadership‘ of Roll A Parliamentary Agents James O’Connor and Stephen Collings, who provide specialist advice to some of the UK’s largest infrastructure providers on project implementation and parliamentary procedures. Other key contacts in the team include Jessica Craven, who has drafted Orders for and advised on major railway projects, and Darren White, who advises clients on their projects’ compliance with parliamentary requirements.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Collings; James O’Connor


Other key lawyers:

Jessica Craven; Darren White


Testimonials

‘The team has excellent commercially minded and dynamic leadership from Stephen Collings and James O’Connor. They are highly approachable and responsive lawyers with very strong experience, having worked on the HS2 legislation since 2012, and they offer background in rail and other transport legislation, including considerable experience in the successful promotion of transport and works act orders for Network Rail. They are a diverse team with a number of excellent associates.’

‘Stephen Collings and James O’Connor are standout partners. Both are always spot-on with highly focused and supremely practical advice. Juliet Clark is an excellent associate lawyer in this team, brilliant at capturing the substance of what is needed in drafting and correspondence.’

‘James O’Connor and Jessica Craven are go-to advisers.’

‘The team has relevant knowledge and experience and are happy and confident to get involved in many aspects of the project.’

‘James O’Connor is very professional and knowledgeable and a key part of the wider team.’

Key clients

Blyth Harbour Commissioners


Department for Transport and HS2 Limited


Dover Harbour Board


Network Rail Infrastructure Limited


PD Teesport Limited


Stena Ports Limited


Work highlights


Pinsent Masons LLP

Pinsent Masons LLP is well-regarded for offering ‘almost unrivalled experience in the field of infrastructure planning‘, with a standout of record of advising on nationally significant energy, transport, water, and waste projects. The team’s client base, which includes local councils, large landowners, government agencies, and transport operators, regularly requests advice on DCO applications and wider planning matters in connection with high-value, business-critical projects. Advice on parliamentary powers and local legislation is another key area of expertise for the firm, which regularly advises clients on their development powers under existing legislative regimes. Under the leadership of the ‘highly energetic, creative and commercially minded‘, Robbie Owen, who offers over 30 years of experience as a Parliamentary Agent, the team is also active in advising on the opposition to private bills and has promoted hybrid bills for the likes of the Department of Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. George Wilson and Olivia Henshall are further key contacts in the team and are noted for their advice on DCO consenting regimes. Planning expert Francis Tyrrell departed the firm in December 2022.

Practice head(s):

Robbie Owen


Other key lawyers:

George Wilson; Olivia Henshall


Testimonials

‘Pinsent Masons has one of the largest and strongest planning teams in the country and is particularly well known for its infrastructure planning work. Acting on many of the largest projects, Pinsent Masons has almost unrivalled experience in the field of infrastructure planning.’

‘Robbie Owen is one of the absolute leading partners in the field. He is the Secretary of the National Infrastructure Planning Association and has huge experience and respect within the field.’

‘Very strong and creative leadership by Robbie Owen.’

Key clients

British Salt


Crown Estate Paving Commission


Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities


EDF


Forth Ports


Manchester Airport


National Highways Limited


Port of Belfast


Port of Tilbury London Limited


Suffolk County Council


Tata Chemicals Europe Ltd


Tatton Estate


Transport for London


United Utilities


Work highlights


  • Advised the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)on the Bill required to facilitate the development of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre (the UKHMLC) in Victoria Tower Gardens.
  • Advised National Highways Limited on all aspects of the ongoing application for development consent for the major and high-profile A66 Northern Trans Pennine scheme.
  • Advised Manchester Airport Group, EDF, United Utilities, Tata Chemicals Europe and the Tatton Estate on petitioning against the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, including advice on drafting and depositing formal petitions, engagement and negotiations with HS2 Ltd and DfT, and strategy in terms of any appearances by those clients in front of the Select Committee.

Sharpe Pritchard LLP

The parliamentary infrastructure team at Sharpe Pritchard LLP has an ‘unparalleled grasp of parliamentary work and vast experience drafting and promoting bills for its roster of clients, which spans large landowners, local authorities, and registered charities. The team, which is led by experienced Parliamentary Agent and leading infrastructure lawyer Alastair Lewis, promotes a large proportion of the private bills enacted by parliament and is also well-equipped to handle Transport and Works Act Orders and Development Consent Orders in relation to energy and transportation projects. Emyr Thomas is also a qualified Parliamentary Agent and extends the team’s expertise as a key contact for large landowners and local councils seeking advice on their objections to parliamentary infrastructure projects such as HS2. Aidan Dickinson, who advises on the compulsory purchase elements of private bills and DCO schemes, is also highly recommended for his advice to clients petitioning against major infrastructure schemes.

Practice head(s):

Alastair Lewis


Other key lawyers:

Emyr Thomas; Aidan Dickinson


Testimonials

‘Alastair Lewis is hugely competent and practical.’

‘Sharpe Pritchard is second to none in its parliamentary expertise. There is nowhere better for intelligent and practical advice.’

‘Alastair Lewis is bright and works particularly hard for his clients. His advice is clear, soundly based, and realistic, and it reflects his extensive experience in this area. Emyr Thomas is likewise very experienced and enthusiastic and is adept at obtaining the attention of committees.’

‘There is, quite simply, no one with better experience and knowledge of how to petition Select Committees in relation to hybrid bills than Emyr Thomas and Alastair Lewis. They have an unparalleled grasp of parliamentary work.’

Key clients

Cheshire East Council


Cheshire West & Chester Council


Churchwardens of Monken Hadley Parish Church


National Trust


Suffolk County Council


Work highlights


  • Advised the Churchwardens of Monken Hadley Parish Churchon the drafting and promotion of the private bill which became the Monken Hadley Common Act 2022.
  • Advised the Cheshire West & Chester Council on its objection to the HS2 Phase 2B Bill.
  • Advised the National Trust on its objection to the Portishead Branch Line – MetroWest Phase 1 Development Consent Order (DCO).

Winckworth Sherwood LLP

Winckworth Sherwood LLP’s infrastructure team comprises ‘intellectually first class, practically minded lawyers‘ who advise on the promotion of parliamentary bills and secondary pieces of legislation for major, strategically important projects. The team is widely noted for its work on the promotion of hybrid bills in relation to all phases of the HS2 railway project, and it continues to advise on the implementation of the project under the leadership of practice head Paul Irving, a vastly experienced Parliamentary Agent and key contact for railways and harbours work. Irving often works alongside Parliamentary Agent Alex Dillistone, whose expertise drafting Transport and Works Act Orders as well as Harbours Act Orders makes her a key contact for clients such as Network Rail and Associated British Ports on a variety of high-value and complex projects. Hazel Anderson and Jane Wakeham are further key contacts in the team, and their experience as Parliamentary Agents allows them to conduct legislative reviews and conduct impact assessments for some of the country’s largest railways and harbour projects. Alison Gorlov continues to act for the firm as a consulting Parliamentary Agent, and Emma Rodican-Jones is another name to note.

Practice head(s):

Paul Irving


Other key lawyers:

Hazel Anderson; Alex Dillistone; Jane Wakeham; Alison Gorlov; Emma Rodican-Jones


Testimonials

‘WS are the pre-eminent specialists in this field of practice. Paul Irving leads the team with all the benefit and advantage of over 30 years of experience and expertise in Parliamentary work. All members of the team are intellectually first class, practically minded lawyers who are a joy to work with.’

‘Paul Irving has unrivalled experience and expertise in Parliamentary work and promoting transport orders. A man whose quiet demeanour belies a brilliant mind and a formidable grasp of the issues. Alex Dillistone is now established as a superb specialist practitioner with a clear eye for detail allied to strong strategic thinking. Hazel Anderson is so impressive on environmental issues and fearlessly analytical in her advice. Jane Wakeham is calmness personified, always on top of the issues, with clear and focused advice.’

Key clients

Associated British Ports


Canal & River Trust


Crossrail


Dover Harbour Board


HS2


Harwich Haven Authority


Network Rail


Port of London Authority


Secretary of State for Transport


West Midlands Combined Authority