Leading Individuals

Planning and environment in North

Ward Hadaway LLP

Ward Hadaway LLP covers a gamut of planning mandates, regularly dealing with applications, appeals, enforcement actions, and section 106 agreements. The team frequently advises local councils on transport planning matters and assists clients with planning obligations for residential homes projects. The practice is jointly led by Robin Atkin and Kamran Hyder. Atkin is sought out by national house builders, landowners and public sector bodies for his expertise in interpreting planning permissions, while Hyder is a go-to adviser for clients in the mining, housing and infrastructure sectors. Associates Carolyn Akerman and Frank Orr are key names to note, particularly for house builders and local councils across the North.

Practice head(s):

Robin Atkin; Kamran Hyder


Other key lawyers:

Carolyn Akerman; Frank Orr


Key clients

West Cumbria Mining Limited


Northumberland Estates PROW Alnmouth Golf Club


Darlington Station Redevelopment


Northumberland Line Northumberland Estates Benicia and co


BDW


Karbon


Kirklees Global


NIAL


Work highlights


  • Acting for West Cumbria Mining Limited (WCM) in relation to their proposal for a net zero metallurgical coal mine in Cumbria.
  • Advising Julia Crowley on a village green deregistration application in order to facilitate the sale of land for residential development of 55 dwellings in a rural location.
  • Advising Keepmoat Homes Limited on securing the client and securing planning obligations across 5 regional divisions and 25 sites in order to deliver the Government’s flagship First Homes.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

The environment, health and safety team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is the first port of call for clients in the chemicals and utilities sectors who are seeking advice on compliance with environment permitting, waste management, and producer responsibility issues. Drawing considerable praise from clients, Newcastle-based Tim Hill not only collaborates with planning and environment practitioners in the Manchester, Leeds and London offices, but is also the lead for contentious issues. His wide-ranging capabilities cover prosecutions and urgent enforcement actions involving environment agencies and local authorities, as well as health and safety issues in the chemical, energy, pharmaceuticals, waste and manufacturing sectors.

Practice head(s):

Tim Hill


Testimonials

‘The firm goes the extra mile. Attention to detail is in its DNA.’

‘Tim Hill is a good team leader. He has a relaxed style and has a shrewd legal approach.’

‘The advice given is extremely practice and provides a view of how compliance can reasonably be achieved. Eversheds understand our business and the very complex arena of producer responsibility legislation under which we operate and as such can provide the highly technical advice which we require.’

‘The team has an excellent understanding of our business, the challenges we are facing with regulators and our attitude to risk. This ensures that we get advice tailored to meet our needs. They work with us in a collaborative way and share experiences from working with other clients and regulators which is always insightful and welcome.’

‘Tim Hill has provided excellent on-going support in respect of recent litigation. He regularly joined calls with our team, including the president and the COO, to hear their views on responses to and management of the business’ relationship with the regulator. He ensured that we were all aligned from the outset, with regular check-ins as appropriate.’

‘The team displays vast experience, and a very high level of the tactical case awareness needed to deal with serious and complicated environmental litigation.’

‘Tim Hill is a standout practitioner in the field of serious environmental criminal litigation. He comes with vast experience and very good judgement that one needs when dealing with cases in a complicated field of work.’

Key clients

REPIC


SIMS Group UK Limited


Legal and General


Endless LLP


Work highlights


Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP

The Newcastle-based planning team at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP frequently works with offices across the UK - particularly in Leeds and Bristol - on development consent orders in the transport, energy, waste management, and residential development spaces. Legal director Stephen Dagg is a specialist in transportation projects, regularly providing guidance on highway, public rights of way, and traffic regulation law. Kate Ashworth routinely assists clients with development consent orders on a nationwide scale, while Rachel Sykes advises on a broad range of planning issues in relation to public inquiries - both in respect of planning appeals and compulsory purchase orders. Umi Filby is also noted for providing support on national projects. In the environment team, legal director Francesca Hodgson - who works closely with the firm's environment team in Leeds - is a key contact for clients seeking guidance on contentious issues, such as breach of environment permit conditions.

Other key lawyers:

Kate Ashworth; Stephen Dagg; Rachel Sykes; Umi Filby; Francesca Hodgson


Key clients

Bellway Homes Limited


National Highways Limited


Hearthstone Investment Management


Solar 21 Renewable Energy Limited


Augean PLC


Department for Education


Rentplus UK Limited


Solar 21 Renewable Energy Limited


SABIC UK Petrochemicals Limited


Huntsman Polyurethanes (UK) Limited


Vertellus Specialities UK


Banks Group


Augean plc


Northern Powergrid


Work highlights


  • Appointed by National Highways to advise on the A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme.
  • Advising Solar 21 Renewable Energy Limited in relation to an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for a Green Energy Park in Lincolnshire.
  • Advising Augean on all of the planning, environmental and regulatory aspects of a new DCO application to extend its hazardous waste and low-level waste landfill and treatment site in Northamptonshire (ENRMF site).