Planning and infrastructure

Our planning team acts for developers, landowners, investors and promoters on every part of the planning process.

Members of our planning team have worked in private practice, local authorities and in-house for developers. This gives our planning solicitors a unique and valuable insight as to how the system works, what to expect from the local planning authority and the areas to focus on when advising and negotiating on behalf of the firm’s clients. Our planning team offers partner level experience that you would expect to find in a city firm. We can deliver a bespoke solution for your development. We usually work on a fixed fee basis so that you can build the legal costs into your development budget.

Our experience assists in being realistic about timescales and expectations; knowing what may steer a Council to expedite a matter or fully understand the commercial reality of the position. It is often the case that many issues can be resolved by different approaches and we seek to be able to provide you with the options and the risks attached to such options.

We can carry out due diligence on the planning history of a site that you intend to acquire or develop. We will advise you on existing planning permissions, conditions, Section 106 Agreements and any other restrictions on development, such as listed buildings. We can advise on what permissions may be required to develop a site. We will work as part of a team with your architect and planning agent to bring a site forward.

Once you have acquired a development site and embarked on the planning process, we can assist with drafting and negotiating Section 106 Agreements, we can advise on and seek to deal with objections to your scheme and advise on proposed conditions. If the firm are dealing with the property transactions for your scheme, our planning team will work closely with colleagues to deliver the scheme. And again, at every stage, we will work with your architect and planning agent to secure the planning permission for your development.

Our planning team also deals with highways agreements, drainage and footpaths/rights of way, which may need to be resolved to bring your development forward. We will liaise with the relevant statutory undertaker to get the legal agreements in place to allow your site to be built out. We will also advise on conservation and heritage issues, which may be relevant.

If you find yourself at a planning appeal, we can advise on the grounds for any appeal, work with your planning agent or instruct counsel. We will deal with any Section 106 Agreement that may be required for the appeal. We can advise on the process and merits of any potential legal challenge through the Courts against an unfavourable appeal decision. Our planning solicitors can also assist with objecting or challenging applications on neighbouring land that may affect your scheme.

We pride ourselves on getting repeat business from our clients. Some of the best comments we receive are that we are not like 'normal solicitors'; due to our commercial approach and pragmatic view we seek to take on matters and produce workable outcomes that genuinely assist our clients.

Our view is that we want to work with all parties, and seek wherever possible to act constructively with all involved. Picking up the phone or having a round the table meeting often unlocks or prevents those tiresome email chains! We will endeavour to get your scheme through the planning process in line with your planned start date.

The scope of areas covered is, as you would expect vast, from 5,000 house developments through to successfully defending clients for obstructing the highway. Such areas include but are not limited to those listed on the right hand side of this page. We are more than happy to meet to discuss your needs and expectations to ensure that we are a good fit for your requirements. Please contact a member of our planning team to discuss how we can help deliver your development.