Your challenges
The planning world is a constantly moving one, full of rules and regulations, and we can help guide you through these. We have experience acting for those with planning issues from every angle so we know what you are looking for whether you’re a developer, landowner, local authority or objector.
Achieving your ambitions
Our clients want our assistance on the full range of planning matters.
We help our clients to manage legal risk on their planning applications, advising on procedure and application material, environmental assessment and habitats protection. Our clients seek our advice on section 106 agreements and we have crafted many innovative solutions to practical and legal problems, including, for example, phased developments, covenants with Network Rail and avoiding double recovery of planning gain in the new CIL world (still a risk notwithstanding attempts to avoid it). We handle your appeals, local development frameworks (whether as promoter or objector) and legal challenges.
Our clients may be involved in major infrastructure projects (we have recently advised the relevant planning authorities on the first major infrastructure project application to be heard by the IPC), housing developments, urban extensions or regeneration projects. We are also advising a local planning authority as it goes through its process towards adopting CIL and we are tracking the emerging National Planning Policy Framework.
Other major projects on which members of our team have advised include Hampton (Peterborough), Kings Cross, the cb1 development of Cambridge's station area, Kettering and Daventry sustainable urban extensions and Addenbrookes 2020.
The strength you need
We have a dedicated planning team and, as a full service law firm, you’ll have access to the full range of specialists in environmental, real estate and commercial law, ensuring you get a complete service. Clients who we’ve helped include developers such as Brookgate, Bee Bee Developments Limited and O+H Properties Ltd, local authorities such as Norwich City Council and London Borough of Southwark and numerous higher education institutions and NHS trusts. Our minerals clients include Tarmac, Hanson, Lafarge, Cemex, Aggregate Industries as well as mineral owners.
Lawyers you can trust
Our team is highly rated by legal directories such as Chambers UK: "Beverley Firth is lauded ... for her 'strong grasp of the complexities associated with major mixed-use developments' and led the team acting on the redevelopment of Cambridge railway station."