Cornerstone Barristers

Planning, infrastructure, public, and information law barrister

Simon Bell is a specialist planning, infrastructure, public, and information law barrister with over 20 years’ experience advising and representing local authorities, developers, infrastructure promoters, landowners, and community groups.

Simon’s practice focuses on complex planning and infrastructure matters, including Development Consent Orders, planning inquiries, recovered appeals, local plan examinations, judicial review, and planning enforcement. He is regularly instructed in high-profile and technically complex cases involving major housing developments, electricity transmission projects, heritage assets, enforcement proceedings, and strategic land promotion.

Simon has extensive advocacy experience before Inspectors, the Secretary of State, the High Court, specialist tribunals, and criminal courts. Simon Bell is currently instructed in the examination of National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury Development Consent Order and has appeared in major call-in inquiries and recovered appeals, including the Highsted Park inquiry.

Since 2024, Simon has also been instructed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in proceedings before the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA) Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)

Bar Vocational Course, LLB (Law)