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  1. Planning
  2. Leading individuals
  3. Next generation lawyers

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Next generation lawyers

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    • Rebecca Roffe - CMS

Who Represents Who

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As ‘one of the leading firms in the field’, DLA Piper UK LLP is ‘highly professional, pragmatic and always provides appropriate and proportionate advice’. Andrew Batterton leads the department, which handles national and international projects with notable expertise in infrastructure projects, regenerations and energy sector issues. Batterton ‘has a good eye for what really matters to the clients and is very thorough and helpful in his approach’; his recent highlights include advising Highways England on its new highway and highway improvement schemes, acting for Sheffield City Council and Urbo Regeneration on the West Bar Square regeneration project, and assisting Liverpool City Council with the consents required for the dualling of the A565. VPower, National Grid Electricity Transmission, Nexus and Merlin Entertainments are also clients. Associate Claire Stoneman, who handles development and infrastructure matters, is also a name to note.

Pinsent Masons LLP fields ‘an excellent team with a wide skillset across all elements of the planning field’. The ‘experienced, focused and professional’ Jonathan Riley heads the team, which is ‘easily the best for infrastructure projects’ and also assists with urban extensions, housing projects and retail planning mandates. Other key names include strategic planning adviser Jan Bessell, who is experienced in the energy, transport, commercial and residential mixed-use sectors; legal director Nick McDonald, who can ‘engage with clients at all levels to provide the right support and guidance’; and legal director Jo Miles, who focuses on residential and mixed-use developments. Recent highlights for the practice include acting for Leeds City Council on the first planning application associated with the East Leeds Extension and the delivery of an associated new dual carriageway, assisting Drax Generation Developments with the planning elements of its acquisition of four peaking plant power station projects, and advising South Gloucestershire Council on the delivery of 6000 new homes on a former BAE airfield.

Richard Glover  leads the department at Squire Patton Boggs and is recognised for his expertise in applications for consent under the Electricity Act 1989, representing utility companies in compulsory wayleave hearings and energy-related projects. Dual-qualified barrister and solicitor David Hardy  handles compulsory purchase matters and is active in the energy, residential, commercial, heritage, mines and minerals, and transport sectors; consultant David Goodman is recommended for planning appeals, highway schemes and issues relating to overhead electricity lines; and senior associate Julia Dixon advises developers, occupiers and investors. In a recent highlight, Glover advised Inoes Upstream on its development of wells for the exploration of shale gas; other mandates include representing Egdon Resources in a planning appeal following the refusal of planning permission for the production of oil from an existing wellsite and handling a Development Consent Order (DCO) for SP Manweb. Leeds City Council, Northern Powergrid, Electricity North West and Lidl are also clients.

Walker Morris LLP ‘has an excellent reputation in the field in the Leeds area and beyond’ and is ‘renowned for the quality of its work and proven success rate’. Department head Richard Sagar ‘knows his profession inside out’ and recently represented Hallam Land Management in its appeal against the refusal of planning permission for an urban extension outside Doncaster; Chris Slater is ‘always available’ and handles planning and highways agreements, community infrastructure levies, compulsory purchase work and large developments; consultant Andrew Williamson regularly acts for developers and advised Roomzzz on the planning elements of a proposed aparthotel in Harrogate. Other team members include environment-focused Alison Ogley, who re-joined the team from Kings Chambers, and directors Robert Moore and James Garbett.

Addleshaw Goddard’s practice has seen substantial expansion following the recruitment of department head Glenn Sharpe  from DWF in 2017. Sharpe’s expertise encompasses the aviation, minerals, waste and energy sector; he recently represented NATS in its objection to two proposed wind farms in Scotland, advised Somerset County Council on multiple Highways Agreements regarding the proposed construction of the Taunton Western Relief Road, and assisted the University of Brighton with a Section 106 agreement related to the development of a former barracks site in Brighton. Associate Daniel Marston  is also a name to note; he specialises in residential, industrial and mixed-use developments. London Luton Airport, Muse developments and Standard Life Assurance are also clients.

Chris Bowes, who is ‘incredibly easy to work with’, is the key name to note at CMS and has experience across town centre regenerations, infrastructure projects, minerals planning and compulsory purchase work. Recently, Bowes acted for Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Life on the planning elements of a mixed-use regeneration scheme, advising the North York Moors National Park Authority on planning issues surrounding a deep mine development, and defended Whitemoss Landfill in a challenge to its DCO in the Court of Appeal relating to a new hazardous waste landfill facility. Senior associate Rebecca Roffe is noted for her DCO experience and development work, and associate Roisin Laycock focuses on construction-related planning matters.

Key areas of expertise for Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP  (International) LLP Leeds include the residential, retail, development, renewable energy and mineral sectors; example clients include Wm Morrison Supermarkets, Kier Property Developments, Taylor Wimpey, Next and EDF Energy Renewables. Team head Peter Nesbit has experience across planning, highways and compulsory purchase orders and knowledge of the energy and natural resources, transport and development sectors. Principal associate Roddy Macdonald  is also a name to note and focuses on the housing sector. Highlights included advising IGas Energy on obtaining the consents required for the drilling of exploratory wells, assisting Templegate Developments with a residential development, and acting for Alpha Real Capital on the redevelopment of a former iron and steel works site.

In Shulmans LLP’s ‘excellent department’, practice head Amanda Beresford’s ‘knowledge and attention to detail are exceptional’. Key areas of expertise for the group include residential development planning, planning-related judicial reviews, infrastructure mandates and mixed-use development planning matters. Recent highlights include advising Lidl on the planning elements of the development of a new store in Barton-upon-Humber, assisting Extra MSA Group with planning advice regarding a planning application for a new motorway service area, and represented Greggs in its objection to a residential development next to its North East manufacturing facility. Barratt Homes, Chatsworth Settlement Trustees and Avant Homes are also clients. Solicitor Emma Thomas is the key name for advice to telecoms operators.

Weightmans is noted for its expertise in residential and urban expansion projects, public sector work, infrastructure and energy sector projects and compulsory purchase work. The practice recently advised Peterborough City Council on a proposed new township development; it also assisted Corby Borough Council with the Priors Hall Park urban extension project, handled the planning aspects of the West of Loughborough Sustainable Urban Extension Project for Charnwood Borough Council, and acted for North Yorkshire County Council and Selby District Council on the DCO application for the construction of a combined-cycle gas turbine power station. Lee Gordon , who divides his time between Leeds and Manchester, heads the department, which recently recruited Bob Pritchard  from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP.

Noteworthy individuals in Womble Bond Dickinson’s department include team head Claire Brook , who has particular experience in the waste, energy and chemical sectors; and legal director Jocelyn Denton , who regularly acts for local authorities on mixed-use development schemes. Brook recently advised Sembcorp Utilities on its application for a DCO for a combined-cycle gas turbine power station and assisted Wheelabrator Technologies with its DCO application for an energy from waste plant, while Denton’s recent work includes acting for the London Borough of Lewisham on the planning and property aspects of the redevelopment of the New Bermondsey site and handling the regeneration of Lewisham Town Centre for the London Borough of Lewisham.

Rollits LLP’s ‘proactive approach and excellent service’ is provided by ‘a highly professional team’ led by Mark Dixon and also includes David Myers and senior solicitor Libby Clarkson. Dixon’s expertise includes mixed-use developments, Section 106 agreements and the care home and education sectors; he recently advised the Lindum Group on the planning permission for a mixed-use commercial scheme in Lincolnshire and assisted Cricketer Farm with a Section 106 planning agreement for 50 new dwellings on the site of a redundant factory and farm in Somerset. Myers’ recent work includes preparing a Section 106 agreement for a private landowner. Yorkshire Housing, Lovel Developments (Yorkshire), Central Land Holdings and Fulford Builders are also clients.

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Legal Developments in Yorkshire and the Humber for Planning

  • Parking rights: here to stay? Consent might be the surprising answer 


    In the field of the acquisition of easements by prescription, little has caused more consternation over the last decade or so than the question of whether a right to park cars can be acquired by twenty years user as of right. The types of property capable of being adversely affected range from individual residential units all the way up to major development sites. The establishment of such a right can have a devastating impact on the value of the burdened land.

    - Falcon Chambers

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