Planning and Environment blog

Planning and Environment Blog

Negotiating the planning system can be a complex business whether you are a landowner, developer, individual, parish / community group or professional planner / architect / developers’ agent. Our new Planning and Environment legal service can work with you to provide any legal advice, agreement drafting and representation that you may need across a wide range of issues.

Jane joined Goody Burrett In September 2019 to establish and develop our new Planning and Environment Department. She is a qualified Barrister with specialist experience in Planning, Highways and related Environmental Law gained in Suffolk, Essex and the City of London working for Local Authorities and private clients. Jane will be working closely with Goody Burrett’s Commercial, Agricultural and Property Litigation Department Solicitors to provide a holistic legal service for clients in this field. She can provide advice, drafting and representation across a wide range of areas and levels of complexity throughout the complete life cycle of a development project or on individual aspects and standalone issues. Jane is also a qualified Commercial Mediator.

Some examples of matters we can assist with are as follows:

• Land Options Agreements.
• Sale and Purchase of Development Land.
• Local Plan Representations.
• Pre application consultation and any legal issues that may arise pre submission of the application e.g. National, Local, Neighbourhood Policy interpretation issues, local Site Allocation issues.
• Accompanying you at Planning and Council Meetings and Committees.
• Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Permitted Development.
• Certificates of Lawfulness
• Planning Performance Agreements.
• Planning Obligations/ Section 106 Agreements, to include variations to agreements and discharge of obligations matters.
• Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations.
• Highways Works Agreements, Section 38, s278 and s256 Agreements and general Highways Law.
• Agreements with Statutory providers for example, gas, electric and telecommunications.
• General environmental, highways and heritage issues sometimes involved with development for example:

Flooding and Drainage

Trees and Hedgerows

Areas of special environmental protection (e.g. SSSI, AONB, special wildlife designated sites).

Open spaces, Common Land and Village Greens, Agricultural Land.

Public Rights of Way.

Listed Buildings

Conservation areas.

• Advice on Neighbourhood Plan issues.
• Registration of Assets of Community Value.
• Objections to Planning Applications.
• Early advice on: Enforcement, Planning Appeals, High Court Proceedings, Planning Injunctions, Rights to Light.
• We place a strong focus on resolving any potential disputes and litigation by good communication and negotiation on your behalf and work with Counsel in Chambers if the matter is not resolvable in the early pre-litigation stages.

If you would like advice or any further information on any of the above, Jane would be happy to help.