Ms Felicity Thomas > Chambers of Lucinda Davis > Chichester, England > Barrister Profile

Ms Felicity Thomas

01243 784 538 clerks@pallantchambers.co.uk

Position

Felicity specialises in land, property (encompassing housing) and planning. Undertaking work in both public and private sectors, she is known for her affability, technical expertise and fearlessness.

She undertakes work for local government, Registered Providers, private developers, private and commercial landlords and interest groups throughout the country. Having come to the Bar from a career in housing, she has developed extensive breadth and depth of advocacy experience in the Senior Courts, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court, county courts, all levels of the Residential Property Chamber and at public hearings and inquiries. Her experience ranges from appearing as advocate in trials, substantive hearings, procedural applications, public inquiries and appeals as well as sitting as Inspector in Village Green public inquiries.

In planning, Felicity has particular experience in all aspects of enforcement, s287 injunctions and appeals for parties at all levels from householders and developers to the Planning Authority. She has also acted for Rule 6 parties in planning appeals and is mindful of the need to work to fixed budgets. Her advisory work is broad; most recently including the impact of listing as an asset of community value, DMMO inquiries, tree preservation orders, enforcement appeals, certificates of lawfulness and siting of mobile homes in the green belt.

In real estate she advises and represents at all levels. Recently this has involved her in cases concerning historical estate rent-charges for a commercial client, contested boundaries of estates, repairing covenants in commercial tenancies, major dilapidations in commercial property, construction disputes, service charges and the perennial problems of management and administration charges. She has advised on thorny policy issues for Registered Providers such as the correct approach to short lets of leasehold property (AirBnB) and whether local authorities are liable to pay disabled facilities grants in care homes. This year has also included interpreting easements and covenants, advice on building on common land, de-registration of a village green and appeals against the Traffic Commissioner.

Career

Called 2005, Middle Temple

Education

BA Hons