We look forward to welcoming you once again to our annual Planning Conference, offering a full day of thorough, practical learning on the latest developments in planning law delivered by leading planning experts. This year’s programme will explore the latest legislative and policy changes and case law developments, with a specific focus on areas of particular relevance to local authority planning lawyers and officers.
Rory Stracey and Tim Brown from Trowers & Hamlins will be exploring the structure of planning policy and the legal framework for making local plans before we hear from Stuart Evans and Max Howarth from Anthony Collins on the provisions of the Environment Act 2021 and implementing biodiversity net gain. Delegates will then enjoy a session from Andrew Byass and Alex Shattock from Landmark Chambers, examining some key recent planning law cases and their implications for local planning authorities.
The afternoon will begin with a session looking at the agent of change principle with Emily Knowles and Andrew Swaffer from Sharpe Pritchard, before we welcome Robert Walton KC from Landmark Chambers who will be discussing planning enforcement, Article 8 and the public sector equality duty. Our final session of the day will explore modification, discharge and enforcement of conditions and s106 agreements with Michael Feeney from Francis Taylor Building.
Each session will provide attendees with the opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts and experience. Whilst the event will be held across one day, all sessions will be recorded and made available to download, providing the opportunity either to engage for the whole day or to attend selected sessions on the day and then catch up in your own time. The Conference offers an ideal opportunity for planning lawyers, officers, and anyone working in a local authority planning team to get right up to date with the most important recent developments in planning law.
Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
Rory specialises in all aspects of planning, highways and compulsory purchase law.
Before joining Trowers & Hamlins, Rory worked across both the private and public sectors, most recently as the Principal Planning & Corporate Lawyer for the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Rory has a wealth of experience having lead on a wide range of major development and regeneration schemes including mixed-use developments, large-scale housing schemes, commercial developments as well as infrastructure projects. Negotiating complex S106 and Highways Agreements, dealing with compulsory purchase orders, and mitigating the risks on planning applications - Rory is able to advise on planning, highways and compulsory purchase matters from start to finish.
Rory also has extensive experience in contentious planning, having acted as advocate in a wide range of planning inquiries and appeals. He has a wealth of experience in advising on judicial review claims in the High Court, acting for both claimants and defendants.
Managing Associate, Trowers & Hamlins
Tim specialises in all aspects of planning, highways and compulsory purchase law. Before joining Trowers & Hamlins, Tim worked in the public sector, most recently as the Deputy Principal Planning & Corporate Lawyer for the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Tim has a particular focus on regeneration projects, currently working on some of the largest schemes in the country. These schemes need to overcome significant challenges in order to obtain deliverable planning permissions capable of transforming their areas. This involves providing strategic advice on complex planning constraints and the use of compulsory purchase powers to assemble land required.
He has extensive of experience of advising developers, local authorities, housing associations and government departments on a wide range of development control, enforcement and strategic planning matters. Tim frequently negotiates complex section 106 and highways agreements, working on numerous major developments across the country. Having an in-depth understanding of the planning system, Tim enjoys advising on technical issues such as the community infrastructure levy and development viability, breaking down complicated disputes into a manageable form to achieve the necessary outcome.
Using his experience of all sides of the planning system, Tim brings a pragmatic, commercially driven approach to assist clients in maximising the opportunities that exist in today's challenging market.
Legal Director, Anthony Collins
Stuart leads on planning and related highway legal work. For over 15 years he was employed as Head of Planning and Regeneration and Interim City Solicitor at Birmingham City Council where he advised the landowning arm of the Council’s Property Services on many large transactions. He also supported and advised the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust.
Previous transactions Stuart advised upon relate to large scale city centre redevelopments, Aston Regional Investment Site, Birmingham City University and HS2. The advice provided related to the making of planning applications, drafting of committee reports and associated committee procedure. He also advised on the inter-relationship of development agreements, s106 agreements and highway agreements.
Stuart is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500, 2021, where the firm is ranked in Tier 1 for Local Government. A client previously commented: “Senior associate Stuart Evans stands out. He is a planning solicitor who makes things happen and is an expert at guiding clients through the complexities of planning.”
Senior Associate, Anthony Collins
A specialist planning lawyer with extensive experience of advising on all aspects of planning and highways law, Max spent significant time in the public sector having worked for two Warwickshire based local authorities at District and County level. His expertise includes acting as the legal adviser to planning committees; providing advice in relation to the local plan process (including neighbourhood planning); Community Infrastructure Levy; planning enforcement; certificates of lawfulness; permitted development rights; and judicial and statutory review. Max also has significant experience of drafting and negotiating complex section 106 agreements required in relation to major residential led mixed use schemes.
Barrister, Landmark Chambers
Andrew is a public and planning law specialist. He was initially called to the Bar in Australia, before working as a solicitor and then as a barrister in the UK. He has practised in the UK since 2003. Prior to switching back to the bar, Andrew worked as a senior solicitor for the Government Legal Department, advising on a range of public law matters.
Andrew’s practise now covers a range of public and planning law matters, including a wide range of environmental and compulsory purchase matters. He acts for local authorities, developers and central government. His government cases tend to relate to major infrastructure matters, such as the Airports NPS and other national infrastructure policies and projects. He is also acting for a consortium of Manchester authorities in their petitions in respect of phase 2b of HS2, the leg between Crewe and Manchester.
Andrew has experience across a range of matters, from housing, retail and infrastructure matters, to matters involving heritage, energy, waste, student accommodation, neighbourhood planning, public rights of way, highways, green belt, habitats, EIA, planning enforcement and other environmental law matters. He has extensive experience at inquiries and hearings, and has successfully represented several local authorities in planning appeals.
Andrew is a top rated junior in the Planning Magazine Planning Law Survey and is ranked for planning in the legal directories. Chambers & Partners 2023 describes him as “one of the very best juniors” and “an excellent advocate, knowledgeable and very thorough, which is coupled with excellent interactions with the clients.”
Barrister, Landmark Chambers
Alex practices in all aspects of planning and environmental law. He is particularly interested in pollution, climate change and the overlap between equality law and planning. He is regularly instructed to advise local authorities and represent at hearings and inquiries.
Alex’s work is often featured in the news. He is instructed in the Cumbria coal mine challenge, the planning challenge to the Bibby Stockholm asylum accommodation barge, and a post-Hillside challenge to use of s.96A to insert the word “severable” into an outline permission concerning the Aylesbury Estate.
He has a PhD in international law.
Senior Associate, Sharpe Pritchard
Emily is a highly experienced lawyer specialising in town and country planning law, regeneration, and nationally significant infrastructure projects. She has substantial experience across planning, highways, and administrative law and has acted for local planning authorities, highway authorities, and public and private developers.
Senior Associate, Sharpe Pritchard
Andrew’s work focuses on contentious public law matters with an emphasis on planning judicial reviews, public inquiries and compulsory purchase litigation. Andrew also works within the Parliamentary team on DCOs, Hybrid Bills (such as HS2) and election law.
Andrew also undertakes planning advice and agreement work and is currently acting as principle planning lawyer for a London authority
Around 70% of Andrew’s work is for local authorities or government departments with the rest split between private developers and charities.
Rob Walton KC has worked as a specialist planning, environment and public law barrister since 1999. He has a vast amount of experience working for private developers, local authorities and central government. Current cases of note include leading on the Government’s roll out of 20,000 new prison places, promoting specialist several housing schemes in the Green Belt and numerous HS2 compensation claim cases.
Barrister, Francis Taylor Building
Michael was called to the Bar in 2021 and completed pupillage under the supervision of Isabella Tafur, Gregory Jones KC and Craig Howell Williams KC. Michael is building a strong practice across all of Chambers’ practice areas and regularly appears in court, inquiries and hearings in his own right and as junior counsel.
Michael also has a busy advisory practice. Michael is currently seconded part-time to Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where he advises on a broad range of planning issues.
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09:15 - 16:00
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