Francis Taylor Building is ‘an exceptional planning set’ with ‘excellent strength in depth, especially on infrastructure cases’. The team brings extensive experience in representing local authorities and developers in high-profile, complex matters. Morag Ellis KC represented the London Borough of Camden in an application for a judicial review concerning planning permission for the redevelopment of a site within the Bloomsbury Conservation Area, where several listed buildings are located. Elsewhere in chambers, Hereward Phillpot KC and Isabella Tafur appeared before the Supreme Court in R (Spitalfields Historic Building Trust) v Tower Hamlets LBC, concerning the limits of local planning authorities’ powers to restrict voting by councillors on planning applications via standing orders. Alex Williams joined the group in August 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Planning
Environment
Infrastructure
Town and Village Greens
Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
Local Government
Ecclesiastical
Environment
Infrastructure
Town and Village Greens
Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
Local Government
Ecclesiastical
Position
Morag Ellis KC is widely recognised as a leading expert in planning and local government law in England and Wales, with a wide ranging practice covering all aspects of development.
She is consistently praised in the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 Guides and the Planning Magazine Survey of barristers.
Morag is a member of the Silks' Panel to the Welsh Government and a past Chairman of the Planning and Environment Bar Association. She gave evidence to the Parliamentary Select Committee on the National Policy Statement on Ports and the Welsh Government Senedd on the review of TAN 8 (Renewable Energy) and the Planning Law (Wales) Act 2015 and served as a member of the Interim Planning Advisory Group advising the Welsh Minister on changing culture in Welsh Planning.
Career
- Called 1984; KC 2006
- Dean of the Arches and Auditor
- Master of Faculties
- QC Church Commissioner
- Immediate past Commissary General of the Diocese of Canterbury
- Immediate past Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Southwark.
Memberships
- Member and former Chairman of the Planning and Environment Bar Association
- Member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association
- Standing Committee Member of the Ecclesiastical Judges Association
- Member of the Ecclesiastical Law Society
- Member of Public Law Wales
- Member of the London Welsh Lawyers Association
- Dean of the Arches and Auditor
- Master of Faculties
- KC Church Commissioner
- Immediate past Commissary General of the Diocese of Canterbury
- Immediate past Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Southwark.
Education
Penrhos College, Colwyn Bay
St Catharine’s College, Cambridge (1983 BA Law; 1986 MA)
Content supplied by Francis Taylor Building
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Paul Coveney is lovely to work with and James Kemp and Harry Killick provide a good service.'
- 'All of the clerking team are really helpful. James Kemp and Paul Coveney have excellent organisational and interpersonal skills.'
- 'James Kemp is knowledgeable and approachable.'
- 'Paul Coveney is the stand out clerk for planning.'
- 'Francis Taylor Building is impressive across the board with real strength in depth.'
- 'Excellent quality at all levels.'
- 'A leading, 'go to' set for planning and infrastructure.'
- 'The best set for the biggest, most complex infrastructure projects.'