Services
Our Planning Team provides clear, commercially focused advice to organisations navigating an increasingly complex planning landscape. We act for registered providers, developers, local authorities and landowners, offering support that balances legal accuracy with practical insight. As experienced planning law solicitors, we help clients progress development proposals, negotiate with local authorities and secure deliverable outcomes that align with organisational priorities.
We advise on all aspects of the planning process, from applications and appeals to infrastructure contributions and enforcement risk. Our work includes substantial experience with affordable housing legal requirements, viability considerations and negotiation of planning obligations. We approach each instruction with a detailed understanding of policy, local authority expectations and the commercial pressures shaping the housing and development sectors.
On environmental matters, we provide tailored advice on biodiversity net gain, nutrient neutrality and the steps needed to meet sustainability objectives within an evolving regulatory landscape.
We also support clients facing enforcement risk. From planning enforcement to listed building consent issues and related action, we provide the technical guidance needed to progress schemes with confidence.
Our Services
Planning Strategy & Applications
We support clients throughout the lifecycle of development, offering guidance on strategy, risk and the regulatory constraints governing land use. Our expertise includes:
- Early planning strategy and feasibility reviews
- Advising on navigating local authority planning regulations and local plan requirements
- Supporting outline, full and reserved matters applications
- Advising on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) issues
- Challenging planning decisions through appeals and judicial review
Our goal is to help clients move forward with clarity and confidence, reducing delay and managing the risk of challenge.
Planning Agreements & Infrastructure
We have extensive experience negotiating and drafting planning obligations, ensuring they are deliverable, proportionate and aligned with commercial objectives.
Our expertise includes:
- Section 106 Agreement legal advice, including drafting and negotiation
- Planning obligations relating to affordable housing legal requirements
- Deeds of variation to planning agreements where conditions or delivery models need to change
- Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) advice, including community infrastructure levy exemptions, liability queries and appeals
- Infrastructure contributions and viability assessments
We ensure obligations are properly scoped, accurately costed and consistent with development strategy.
Compulsory Purchase & Enforcement
We advise on all aspects of compulsory purchase and planning enforcement, providing clear and pragmatic guidance to organisations facing significant legal and commercial risk.
Our work includes:
- Acting as compulsory purchase order solicitors for acquiring authorities and affected landowners
- Advising on enforcement notices, stop notices and planning enforcement legal support
- Negotiating resolutions to breaches through amendments, certificates of lawfulness or revised applications
- Supporting clients through appeals, injunctions and related proceedings
Development & Regeneration
We work across residential, mixed-use and regeneration schemes, providing sector-specific insight informed by extensive experience with registered providers, developers and local authorities.
Our expertise includes:
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Advising housing development legal experts on design, density and phasing considerations
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Legal support for mixed-use developments, including retail, commercial and community facilities
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Supporting land assembly strategies, including options, promotion agreements and overage structures
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Advising on heritage, conservation and planning constraints
Meet the Team
Our Planning Team is led by Hannah Langford, who guides clients through all stages of the planning process - both on individual transactions and at a strategic level. She acts for private developers, commercial entities acquiring or developing sites with complex planning histories, developing Registered Providers of Social Housing and Local Authorities.
Camilla Weston, Associate, works across a broad range of commercial property and planning matters. Her focus includes drafting and negotiating Section 106 and other infrastructure agreements. She undertakes planning due diligence and advises on risks associated with undischarged planning conditions and obligations, offering clear guidance on mitigation strategies.
William O’Brien, Senior Associate, has a broad dispute resolution practice with particular expertise in residential development. His planning experience includes resolving overage disputes turning on planning issues, advising on planning matters arising in construction projects and building defects claims, and supporting developers on potentially contentious planning issues before disputes materialise.
Elle Wooding, Solicitor, works on Section 106 Agreements, Nomination Agreements and Deeds of Variation for a range of housing associations, local authorities and private developers.
Philip Evans, Partner, has extensive experience working with major PLC housebuilders, mid-sized developers and entrepreneurs across a wide variety of development projects - from large residential schemes to smaller sites of fewer than ten dwellings.
Lucy Vannet, Partner, advises on commercial and residential transactions for registered providers, charities and private individuals. She also works closely with our Plot Sales team on site set-ups and disposals.
Together, the team offers senior, coordinated expertise across planning, development, regeneration and related real estate matters, ensuring clients receive precise, commercially aligned and outcome-focused support.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Contact us
For initial enquiries please complete this form and send us a message. We’ll direct your enquiry to the appropriate person.
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