The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - The Bar > Regional Bar > Planning and environment

3PB's planning team is regularly instructed to advise and act on behalf of planning professionals in the public and private sectors and to appear at public inquiries or in enforcement proceedings. Of particular note, William Webster is a specialist in the law of village greens having sat as an inspector at numerous non-statutory inquiries and has also appeared in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in leading village green cases. 'In a public inquiry setting, he has the ability to explain the issues to the applicants who have no legal knowledge and background in a way that avoids being patronising and conveys the meaning in a readily understandable way,' said one solicitor.

Guildhall Chambers has a team of specialist barristers practicing in the regulatory crime aspect of health and safety and environment law. The 'highly motivated' Brendon Moorhouse is 'passionate about environmental law', according to peers, representing parties in all manner of civil and criminal litigation, particularly those involving Natura 2000 areas, marine issues, and waste law. 'He has a natural empathy and understanding of the subject and out-classes most with his knowledge of the challenges it can present when criminal litigation is afoot.' He was instructed in Neyland Yacht Haven v Natural Resources Wales, a case involving the first-ever appeal against the terms of a dredging permit issued in a special area of conservation (SAC). He is also instructed by Gwent Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Earth, the RSPB, and Welsh Woodland Trust to oppose the M4 motorway extension.

No5 Barristers Chambers' Paul Cairnes QC is consistently instructed by developers, planning authorities, law firms, and planning consultants in high-profile public inquiries and High Court challenges concerning nationally significant development proposals. Over the past year Cairnes QC has been involved in a number of complex section 78 planning appeals in Kingshill, Tonbridge, Malling, and Morpeth, that involve multi-million-pound residential housing schemes. 'Paul's strength is the excellence of style of approach to clients, forceful where necessary, but generally very well received for straightforward and clear advice.'

The 'very approachable and down to earth' Peter Wadsley of St John's Chambers 'always provides advice in a clear and concise format' for developers, local authorities, and third parties in planning matters. A former solicitor and head of the Public & Administrative Law Practice Group in chambers, his recent instructions of note include acting in cases involving wind turbine noise nuisance, caravan sites, and assets of community value.