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Planning law

The planning system is detailed and ever-evolving. It combines legislative requirements, competing priorities and political input.

Our specialist team is well-versed in advising on even the most complex schemes. Whether you're a landowner, promoter, developer or planning authority, you need to be aware of the obligations, liabilities and risks involved with the promotion of a planning scheme. We can work with you, as part of your professional team, guiding you through the processes of planning law.

Our extensive experience in advising on significant strategic developments includes: residential-led urban extensions, mixed-use new settlements and regeneration schemes. 

We receive regular feedback highlighting that we go beyond getting the planning laws right, and praising our ability to find effective solutions and provide pragmatic advice. 

Our experience


We have extensive experience in advising clients on the full range of planning and compulsory purchase order issues, from pre-application to implementation and beyond. In recent years, our planning lawyers have been involved in the promotion of over 20 new communities which will provide more than 55,000 new homes. Recent examples include:

  • Advising Urban & Civic in promoting sites, including Rugby Radio Station and Alconbury Weald, where our innovative approach to structuring planning permission and s.106 liabilities resulted in us being named Planning Law Firm of the Year 2014.

  • Acting on the promotion of Dunsfold Park, Surrey, where we assisted our client to secure permission following a call-in inquiry and helped defend that consent against third party challenges in the High Court.

  • Successfully negotiating s.106 agreements for the MOD, securing the release of planning permission for the redevelopment of barracks (including at Deepcut) to provide up to 3,500 new homes and associated facilities.

  • Devising a bespoke phased approach to s.106 obligations for the developer of Cb1, the mixed use development
    around Cambridge railway station, to aid marketing and inform the estate management strategy.

  • Advising Marshall Group Properties Limited on Wing, a 1,300 unit urban extension to Cambridge.

Did you know?

Chambers UK

We are recognised as a first rate practice and leaders in our field. We're ranked in band 1.

8,000 new jobs

We're advising on the mixed use development of Alconbury Weald, creating around 8,000 new jobs and 5,000 new homes.

11,000 new homes

We're advising on the planning strategy for promoting part of a site allocated for 11,000 homes in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire.

Our clients


We have experience acting for landowners, land promoters, developers, house builders and public sector bodies, including:

  • Urban & Civic
  • University of Cambridge
  • Marshall Group Properties
  • Dunsfold Airport
  • South Kesteven District Council

What our clients say about us

 

  • Very good firm and planning team...technical excellence.
    Chambers and Partners UK 2018
  • The firm is among the leading national firms for real estate development work, and its work includes not only on some of the largest projects in East Anglia, but also major projects across the UK and overseas.
    Legal 500
  • The team has a clear, detailed understanding of legal issues and a creative way of expressing complex matters simply.
    Legal 500

Meet our planning team

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