Francis Taylor Building

Administrative and public lawenvironmentplanningLicensing

Annabel is a leading junior barrister who has practised at FTB throughout her career across all of Chambers’ specialisms.

Clients, judges and the major legal directories recognise her sharp legal mind, practical approach, and advocacy skills. She has appeared without a leader in planning inquiries of national significance, such as Jersey Hospital and two of the UK’s largest hyperscale datacentre inquiries (both called-in). She acts for developers, planning authorities and objectors alike, and believes that having experience of seeing all sides of a case brings the best results.

Annabel brings experience, good judgement and commercial awareness to give sound advice and robust representation to large developer-teams; providing strategic advice on major transport infrastructure (e.g. Cambridgeshire Guided Bus TWAO) and national energy infrastructure (e.g. Vyrnwy Frankton DCO). She regularly appears for local authorities and developers in planning inquiries, and for local interest groups and individuals and businesses affected by development (e.g. Twickenham Riverside Trust and Smokey’s Nightclub CPO inquiries). Her record of successful opposition to compulsory purchase schemes has seen her referred to by professional clients as ‘the CPO slayer’, and she is unintimidated by cases that at first glance look like David taking on Goliath. Equally, she has successfully promoted a number of CPOs for Acquiring Authorities (e.g. Porthcawl CPO).

Several of Annabel’s judicial reviews and s. 288 challenges have developed the law. She was Counsel for the claimant in Guerry, and was invited to deliver a lecture on that case at the Oxford Planning Conference. Other cases of note include Wingrove (the first authority on s. 70C, where the Court adopted her submission that applicants only get ‘one bite of the cherry’) and more recently Ross on solar farm ‘overplanting’, and Bradbury on Appropriate Assessments. Annabel is a member of the Welsh Government’s A Panel and provides strategic advice to Government and public bodies on matters of national importance such as post-Brexit fishing policy, phosphates, storm overflow permitting and the Covid-19 inquiry.

In addition to the core areas of planning / CPO / infrastructure / environment, Annabel is expert in a number of Chambers’ more niche areas of practice, including the law of commons and town and village greens, ecclesiastical law, licensing and criminal prosecutions. She regularly sits as a village green Inspector and is a contributing author to Gadsden on Commons and Greens. She is noted for the quality of her written reports and the effective and approachable manner in which she conducts public inquiries. Annabel is the Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Oxford and has appeared in the Consistory Court and the Clergy Disciplinary Tribunal. She acts for a number of major licensed-operators, including McDonald’s, and has prosecuted and defended high-profile individuals for environmental offences (such as prosecuting the housing developer Enzo Sauro for felling a giant redwood tree in Swansea).

Annabel has a keen interest in the development of the profession and sits on the Committee of the Planning and Environment Bar Association (and is Representative for Wales). Outside of the law, she brings ‘on the ground’ political experience to bear as a Town Councillor and former Mayor of Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, a role which involves a high degree of tact, understanding and, where necessary, strong leadership, to manage the interests of a group of democratically elected Councillors with diverse political and personal views. As Mayor, she developed her public speaking skills at a number of high-profile official events, including with HRH The King (when he was Prince of Wales). She is also a Board Member of the London Sinfonietta, the UK’s premier contemporary music ensemble, and has governed the organization through a period of challenge for public funding of the arts. She is passionate about LS’s mission to bring the best of contemporary music to diverse audiences.

Annabel lives in Wales and an important part of her practice is Wales-based. She combines FTB’s in-depth sectoral experience with local knowledge and particular expertise in devolved Welsh planning and environmental law and policy. Annabel also travels extensively and accepts instructions throughout England and Wales, and in other jurisdictions overseas (e.g. Jersey).

Called to the Bar 2008 (Middle Temple); joined FTB on completion of pupillage in 2009.

Trustee and Council Member, London Sinfonietta (the UK’s premiere contemporary classical music ensemble) Llandovery Town Councillor (former Mayor 2018-2019) Committee Member, Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA Representative for Wales, member of working groups on Wellbeing at the Planning Bar and Women at the Planning Bar) Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Oxford

MA (Oxon) (1st class) (Music) GDL (City University) BVC (BPP) (Outstanding) Queen Mother's Scholarship, Middle Temple