Who We Are

Paul Arnett

Paul joined Town in February 2019 after 4 ½ years at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and the Department for Transport. In Government, Paul advised on the revised NPPF, the Letwin Review, the CPO reforms in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017, and numerous high profile called in and recovered planning matters. Since joining Town, Paul has worked on a wide variety of large- scale mixed use schemes across the country advising on all aspects of planning, infrastructure, and compulsory purchase law.

Experience:

Royal Mail Group PLC
Nine Elms Park, Wandsworth

IM Properties PLC
Peddimore employment park , Birmingham
Towcester employment park, Northampton

CIT Group
Vinegar Yard, Southwark

Church Commissioners
Tangmere CPO, Chichester

Barkwest Limited
Devonshire Square, Old Kent Road

Canton Limited
Colney Heath green belt appeal, St Albans

Elizabeth Christie

Elizabeth spent nine years at Herbert Smith Freehills before becoming one of Town’s founding partners.

She has a wide-ranging planning practice, including advising on tall buildings, build to rent, heritage issues, and major regeneration schemes.

Experience:

22 Bishopsgate Limited Partnership
22 Bishopsgate

SH Reading Master LLP
Station Hill, Reading

Lendlease and London & Continental Railways
International Quarter, Stratford City

British Land
Broadgate Estate

Imperial College
1 Portal Way and 140 Wales Farm Road, North Acton

Francis Crick Institute
Francis Crick Institute

Brockton Capital
Post Building, Camden

Labtech
Hawley Wharf, Camden Lock Market, Stables Market, Buck Street Market

Mary Cook

Mary is a leading planning barrister and a regular panel member of the Have We Got Planning News For You show. Prior to Town she was a member of Cornerstone Barristers where she served as Joint Head of Chambers. She is one of Town’s founding partners.

Experience:

Development Schemes & Strategic Land Advice
Mary regularly offers early strategic advice on the promotion of regeneration schemes, considering the prospects of changing policy contexts, testing the robustness of the planning strategy and ultimately shaping the planning application and considering the need for and adequacy of EIA screening and/or scoping opinions. She has considerable experience in schemes involving Green Belt issues, flood risk issues, protected species and their environments, daylight and sunlight assessments, complex transport assessment issues as well as statutory and locally listed buildings and conservation areas. She regularly works in conjunction with colleagues at Town.

Local Plan Examinations & Neighbourhood Plans
Mary is currently appearing at examinations promoting a new garden village in York and advising on viability issues relating to the Cranbrook Local plan in Devon; the redevelopment of previously developed land in the AONB and Green Belt in Kent; allocations for a commercial warehouse and a Rail Freight Terminal in the Green Belt in Central Bedfordshire; and urban extensions in Leicestershire and the Black Country and working to secure numerous housing allocations.

Mary has particular experience in Retirement and Care Homes
Acting and advising Churchill Retirement Living, Inspired Villages Group, Elysian Residences and Carebase.

Schools, Colleges & PBSA
Advising various establishments on their development plans and related planning applications involving listed buildings, conservation areas and MOL in Camden and Haringey and in the Green Belt.

Hotels
Currently advising on three hotel projects in London at various stages in the development pipeline and a significant commercial leisure scheme.

Commercial
Currently advising B2/B8 operators in the Green Belt on expansion prospects and B8 shed scheme on M1 and owners of former airfields transforming them into a mixed-use scheme.

Residences
Mary is advising on a number of appeals for housebuilders, land promoters and landowners in Dorset, South Somerset and Guildford.

Duncan Field

Duncan advises on major infrastructure projects and regeneration schemes around the UK. He was previously head of planning law at Norton Rose Fulbright and was also a specialist planning partner at Wragge & Co and SJ Berwin. Duncan led the team that won the Real Estate Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards in 2016 and Planning Law Firm of the Year at the UK Planning Awards in 2017.

Experience:

London City Airport
Advising on the development of the airport over the past 25 years including the recent increase in the annual passenger limit from 6.5 million to 9 million passengers and the expansion of the airport’s infrastructure through the City Airport Development Programme.

The Crown Estate
Advising on policy and regulatory aspects of The Crown Estate’s offshore wind leasing rounds including in relation to energy policy and legislation, Habitats Regulations Assessment and Marine Conservation Zones.

DP World London Gateway
Advising London Gateway Port in relation to the implementation of the Harbour Empowerment Order for its deep-sea container terminal and the Local Development Order for the adjacent logistics park.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Advising on the expansion of The Home of Rolls-Royce headquarters and manufacturing plant at Goodwood near Chichester.

Olympus Property Holding Limited
Advising on the proposed refurbishment and regeneration of the Olympia Exhibition Centre to deliver improved exhibition and conferencing facilities, offices, hotel accommodation, retail, leisure and new cultural uses.

The Crown Estate
Advising on its regeneration programme for Regent Street and St James’s in Central London over a 20-year period involving the development of landmark buildings for a mix of uses including retail, offices, hotels, residential and extensive public realm improvements.

Hinduja Group and OHL Desarrollos
Acting for the Hinduja/OHL joint venture in relation to the redevelopment of the Old War Office in Whitehall, Central London as a luxury hotel with apartments.

Clare Fielding

Clare is Town’s Managing Partner and is leading our team through its next phase of growth.  Clare is particularly known for substantial London projects. She regularly advises on complex planning strategy, viability issues, Community Infrastructure Levy, JR risk, and on property-related corporate transactions. Her style is collaborative, problem-solving and people-centred. She is closely involved in the leadership and management of Town and regularly speaks on diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Experience:

Battersea Power Station Development Company
Redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, LB Wandsworth

Sellar
Shard Place and Canada Water regeneration, LB Southwark

Derwent London
White Collar Factory, LB Islington

St James
White City Living and Centre House, White City, LB Hammersmith and Fulham

Greenwich Hospital
Redevelopment of Greenwich Market, RB Greenwich

Minerva plc
St Botolphs and the Minerva Building (Canon Street), City of London

Stanhope/Schroders JV
Croydon Gateway CPO inquiry, LB Croydon

Arsenal Football Club
Emirates Stadium and associated regeneration, LB Islington

Michael Gallimore

Mike was head of planning at Hogan Lovells before joining Town Legal. He is widely recognised as a leading planning lawyer developing his reputation through a number of high profile projects. Mike has over 30 years’ experience spanning regeneration and mixed use schemes, new housing settlements, office, retail and leisure projects as well as new infrastructure. Legal 500 has described him as “an industry expert” who “takes the time to understand his clients’ requirements”.

Experience:

Argent (King’s Cross) Limited
The redevelopment of King’s Cross Central

Argent Related
Brent Cross Town

St George
1 Blackfriars, Grand Union Alperton and Royal Exchange Kingston

Joseph Homes
The Albion Waterside development in Gravesend

Pocket Living
Various London projects

Groveworld
Redevelopment of the former Royal Nose, Throat and Ear Hospital on Gray’s Inn Road

Helioslough Limited
Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange

London Legacy Development Corporation
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Mayfield Market Towns Limited
Mayfields new settlement

U+I
The redevelopment of 8 Albert Embankment

Raj Gupta

Raj specialises in compulsory purchase and infrastructure and is particularly well known for his expertise in land compensation dispute resolution. Raj has also advised on numerous CPOs and infrastructure schemes (including the Olympics, Crossrail, East London Line and DLR extensions) and on many of the leading compensation claims in the Tribunal and higher courts including Spirerose, Urban Edge, Curzon Park, Welford and Bishop & Bishop.

Experience:

Curzon Park Limited
Advising LandsSec/U&I joint venture in multi-million development claim against HS2 in leading Supreme Court case.

Grinsaeum Corporation Limited
Acting on significant Tribunal proceedings in high value claim against HS2

Newark & Sherwood District Council
Advising on and representing the Council in relation to the A46 Bypass DCO

George Lenton Trust
Acting opposite National Highways in securing a certificate of appropriate alternative development for a 350 residential unit scheme on agricultural land and negotiating settlement following mediation

WKD Dogs
Acting opposite HS2 in relation to extinguishment of dog training company

Packington Estate
Advising the estate on numerous claims against HS2 including in relation to minerals valuation

Berkeley Homes
Advising on CPO process and negotiating agreements with Birmingham City Council in relation to the regeneration of Ladywood

Meeta Kaur

Meeta is a UK qualified lawyer and chartered town planner. She works on a wide range of development at all scales, but she specialises in large mixed-use, residential and/or commercial redevelopment schemes, including urban extensions, both in London and across the country. She advises on all aspects of planning and associated areas, including highways, compulsory purchase, CIL, heritage, affordable housing and scheme viability, on both contentious and non-contentious issues.

Before Town Legal, Meeta spent 12 years at King & Wood Mallesons (previously SJ Berwin) and before that was a planning officer at Westminster City Council.

Meeta is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Town Planning Institute, a non-executive Director of Public Practice and a co-founder of Planning Law Women.

Experience:

British Land
Mixed use retail, leisure and/or office led redevelopment of West One Shopping Centre, Meadowhall Shopping Centre and Broadway Connection.

Schroders
Commercial redevelopment of Gillingham House in Westminster.

Chinese Estates
Commercial redevelopment of 120 Fleet Street including the Grade II* listed former Daily Express Building in the City of London.

Meyer Bergman
Retail-led redevelopment of Vinopolis in Southwark.

Breakthrough Properties
Life sciences development at Trinity House, Oxford and the Vitrum Building, Cambridge.

St William Homes
Mixed use residential-led redevelopment of Bromley by Bow, Fulham, Poplar, Bow Common and Marian Place Gasworks.

Berkeley (East Thames)
Kidbrooke Village estate regeneration in Greenwich.

Glenvale Park
Wellingborough North urban extension.

Hanwood Park
Kettering East urban extension.

Victoria McKeegan

Victoria trained and qualified at Slaughter and May and then worked with Duncan Field in the Planning Team at Norton Rose Fulbright prior to joining Town in 2019. She acts on a wide range of planning matters including planning applications, planning appeals, drafting and negotiating planning and highways agreements, environmental impact assessment, judicial review/statutory challenge, enforcement and heritage matters, and the planning aspects of real estate, corporate and financing transactions. She works on projects both in Central London and further afield.

Experience:

Olympus Property Holding Limited
Advising on the £1 billion redevelopment and refurbishment of the London Olympia Exhibition Centre which will deliver improved exhibition and conferencing facilities, offices, hotel accommodation, retail, leisure, entertainment and new cultural uses.

Hinduja Group and OHL Desarrollos
Acting for the Hinduja Group and OHL Desarrollos joint venture in relation to the redevelopment of this Grade II* building in Central London as a luxury hotel with apartments.

The Crown Estate
Advising on a number of redevelopment schemes in London’s West End, including St James’s Market Phase 2 and 33-35 Piccadilly, and on other matters across The Crown Estate’s portfolio.

BentallGreenOak
Advising in relation to the redevelopment of ‘Southside’, 105 Victoria Street (the former ‘Army and Navy’ store) in Westminster for a 445,000 sq ft ultra sustainable office-led development.

The Berkeley Group
Advising St William Homes on a number of major residential-led developments at former gasholder sites in London including the development of up to 1,450 homes at the former Bow Common Gasworks in Tower Hamlets. Advising St Joseph Homes in relation to a planning appeal for a site near Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, for 1,375 homes.

London City Airport
Advising on the development of the airport including its latest infrastructure project known as the City Airport Development Programme and on recent proposals for an increase in capacity to 9 million passengers per annum and extended operating hours.

Telford Homes
Advising on the proposed development of a site on International Way, Stratford, for two towers of 27 storeys comprising 380 BTR units and the proposed mixed-use development of a major site in Chapel Place, Ilford for 837 homes, 447 PBSA units and commercial floorspace.

The Portfolio Club
Advising in relation to the redevelopment of the Wellington Block, Covent Garden, and the former Belgravia Police Station, Ebury Square, in Westminster for ‘The Other House’ Residents’ Club.

Native Land
Advising in relation to the 310,000 sq ft redevelopment of St Mary’s Wharf, Guildford (on the site of the former Debenhams department store) for 185 homes, retail, restaurant and business space along with public riverside walkway and gardens.

London Borough of Islington
Advising the Council in relation to the redevelopment of The Barnsbury Estate for over 900 homes, being delivered by Mount Anvil and Newlon.

Simon Ricketts

Simon specialises in planning, compulsory purchase and related public law issues in relation to major mixed-use development schemes across England. Before co-founding Town, he was head of planning and environmental law first at SJ Berwin and then King & Wood Mallesons. He has been ranked as the country’s most highly rated planning solicitor for the last eleven years running in Planning magazine’s annual survey. He is author of the Simonicity planning law blog.

Experience:

British Land
Blossom Street, Shoreditch.

Lands Improvement Holdings
Houghton Regis urban extension.

Stansted Airport
Increase in passenger numbers.

Fawley Waterside
Former Fawley power station site development, Hampshire.

Richborough Estates
Suffolk Coastal Supreme Court proceedings.

The Collective
Old Oak co-living.

Mount Anvil
Whitechapel Central.

Capital and Regional
Walthamstow town centre.

London Eye
London Eye retention.

Louise Samuel

After many years at Linklaters, advising on the towers that have shaped the City Cluster (the Gherkin, the Cheesegrater, the Walkie-Talkie, etc), Louise continues to have a particularly strong central London tall buildings practice with substantial heritage and contentious experience. A selection of her current clients and more complex active projects includes:

BentallGreenOak

Bury Street, City of London (Bury Street: Home (burystreetconsultation.com)) – a proposed new tower for the Eastern Cluster, due to be considered by the City of London’s planning committee in December 2024.

Louise provides all planning legal support to the BGO team and is also currently advising on 105 Victoria Street, Westminster (105 Victoria Street);  and the Waterman Building, Islington (The Waterman).

Brookfield

99 Bishopsgate and Milton Gate, City of London – planning applications have been submitted for both of these major office redevelopments this year. Historic England is currently lobbying hard for 99 Bishopsgate to be refused (it would be the City’s 5^th tallest tower) so there is likely to be plenty more strategic planning advice required over the coming months: 99 Bishopsgate

CIT Group

Vinegar Yard, Southwark (Vinegar Yard) – a major mixed use 20 storey life science led redevelopment scheme adjacent to London Bridge station, which is being determined by the Mayor of London.

Louise provides all of CIT’s planning legal support and is currently also advising on HYLO and Garret Street in Islington (permissions secured in October 2024), Grosvenor Gardens House in Westminster and the 22 storey redevelopment of Colechurch House in Southwark. The Foster & Partners designed scheme incorporates a mix of uses including office, retail and theatre spaces; with the building elevated above a new public realm and providing links into London Bridge and London Bridge Station.

Great Portland Estates plc

Soho Square Estate, Westminster – a planning application is due to be submitted by the end of the year for this significant mixed-use scheme with over 100,000 sq ft offices and prime retail fronting Oxford Street.

Louise is also advising GPE on 180 Piccadilly, Westminster (180 Piccadilly Construction | Home) and Minerva House and St Thomas Yard in Southwark: GPE Business Update | GPE

St Thomas Yard is also at pre-application stage. Minerva House, opposite Southwark Cathedral, is now underway and will extend the existing office building by over 50%, incorporating new routes and landscaping. It is the first private development to use a barge on the River Thames for construction logistics; and incorporates part of the Thames flood defences within the building as well as the dock housing the Golden Hinde ship.

Henigman

Former West End Police Station, Savile Row, Westminster: Westminster City Council Major Planning Committee Approves Designs for 27 Savile Row – PLP Architecture) – planning permission was granted in November 2024 despite officers recommending refusal. The scheme caused significant controversy largely due to the demolition of the police station within the conservation area; and involved extensive whole life carbon optioneering and assessment of alternatives.

Hines

18 Blackfriars Road, Southwark – permission was granted in November 2024: Foster + Partners’ huge Blackfriars towers scheme approved

It is the third time that Louise has been part of the team that has secured a major consent for the site, including following a 5 week public inquiry back in 2008! The site is over 1 million sq ft and will provide over 400 new homes, 40% affordable housing, 800,000 sq ft of office with affordable workspace, community and education spaces, retail and the integration of listed buildings and substantial public realm and highway improvements as well as works to the neighbouring church gardens. The scheme includes three towers up to c.200m.

Native Land

Bankside Yards, Southwark – one of the most significant developments currently underway in central London: Build – Bankside Yards. The 1.4 million sq ft (£2.5bn) masterplan of 8 towers and 14 Victorian railway arches will deliver a mix of residential, office, retail and hotel floorspace with new public realm, transport links and community and other uses. To date one building (Arbor) has completed and is occupied whilst work is underway on the second tower.

Nuveen

40 Holborn Viaduct – permission was granted in November 2024 for a highly sustainable office building in the City of London: 40 Holborn Viaduct | Eric Parry

Louise also advises on the 900,000sq ft 40 Leadenhall development in the City of London, which is just completing: 40 Leadenhall | A new 900,000 sq ft neighbourhood crafted for London

Park Plaza Hotels

Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth – permission was granted in July 2024 for a 15 storey hotel following a three-week public inquiry: 240813-Westminster-Bridge-Road-Planning-Approval.pdf

Louise is also advising PPH on other sites within their portfolio including Park Royal, LLDC; and Victoria, Westminster.

Starbones Ltd (Galliard plc)

Holly House, Hounslow – permission was granted in November 2024 for a 24-storey residential-led mixed use tower:  Holly House, Chiswick Roundabout gains approval in defiance of its objectors – UK Property Forums

The Other House

Former Belgravia Police Station, Westminster – we have advised since the inception of this project, which was revised a few times due to substantial local objections. Westminster resolved to approve in October and we are currently working on the S106 agreement for this exciting hotel development: Belgravia Police Station will be turned into a luxury hotel

Spencer Tewis-Allen

Spencer advises on all aspects of planning law and has acted on schemes which are complex, high profile and often contentious with a strategic mind and focus on viability matters. Spencer also acts for both local authorities and developers so brings a dual perspective and appreciation to his advice.

Spencer has written the first comprehensive legal planning guide for Lexis Nexis on “Viability in Planning”. He has also written a chapter on Planning Law Due Diligence in “Risk and Negligence in Property Transactions” published by the Law Society with follow-up to this due for release in 2022 and has been published in Estates Gazette, Planning Magazine and the Planner. He also hosts a regular Clubhouse event with his colleague, Simon Ricketts, on all things planning.

Experience:

Spencer is fast becoming a go to specialist in large scale and complex developments (including the build to rent sector) across England acting for both developers and local authority clients, including:

Advising the owners of the Battersea Power Station on its £8 billion regeneration, one of the country’s most complex and high-profile development projects which is to include an extensive residential, office and retail offering as well as associated infrastructure such as a new tube station;

Acting for Capital and Regional on the development of The Mall, Walthamstow – a real place maker in Walthamstow, with permission granted in July 2018 and a new scheme secured in October 2021 to include two tall towers for build to rent;

Advising Arun District Council in relation to two new strategic settlements (one for up to 4300 homes and the other for up to 2500 homes, and the associated infrastructure for both). Legal matters include dealing with fragmented landownership issues to achieve equalisation of planning obligation costs across the site, drafting section 106 agreements and all other associated planning matters which may arise per application;

Advising Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on the new developments at Paddock Wood;

Advising Socius on build to rent development at Saxon Court, Milton Keynes which will include a 34-storey tower.

Advising Galliard on a number of key developments including Soho Loop, Birmingham, Former Honey Monster Factory (Ealing), Creekside, Deptford Wharf (Lewisham) and the Leegate Centre (Lewisham);

Acting for St William (Berkeley Group) on redevelopment of Fulham Gas Works and Marian Place, Bethnal Green; and

Advising Satnam Millennium on a recovered appeal for the development of 1500 residential units in Warrington which was allowed by the SoS in November 2021.

Steve Quartermain CBE

Steve joined Town in June 2020 having stepped down as the Government’s Chief Planner, a post he held since 2008. Steve has over 40 years of practical and policy experience having previously held senior roles in Local Government, the last 12 years of which saw him run all front line services including an economic development function. The council was adjudged an excellent council and the planning services awarded Beacon Council status.

As Chief Planner Steve has been at the heart of the Government’s planning reform agenda, most notably the NPPF and planning practice guidance reviews; he managed the casework function and was responsible for the design brief.

Steve was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2015 for services to planning infrastructure.

Steve brings the breadth of his practical and strategic experience on planning and related matters to Town.

James Wilson

James acts as non-exec Chair, bringing to bear an external perspective gained from 8 years as the International Senior Partner at Ince & Co and his experience in supporting senior leaders in law firms as a founding member of Tyler Wilson since 2016 where he has provided one to one business coaching and bespoke advisory services. James is accredited as a business coach, having graduated from the Meyler Campbell Executive Business Coaching course, and as a commercial mediator.

Juliet Munn

Juliet is a Legal Director at Town, having qualified at King & Wood Mallesons (formerly SJ Berwin) in 2011 and worked in the planning and environment teams in both London and Sydney. Juliet acts on both contentious and non-contentious matters for developers, landowners, interest groups and corporate bodies and advises on all aspects of planning law.

Experience:

Mount Anvil
Friar Close, Estate Regeneration, Southwark

Brookfield
Office redevelopments, City of London

Pella
81 Newgate Street, office redevelopment, City of London

City of London Airport
Increase in passenger numbers and operating hours

Countryside
Meridian One, Residential Development, Enfield

Firethorn Development Ltd
N-W Bicester, Eco-Town development, Cherwell

GPE
New City Court, Office redevelopment, Southwark

British Land
5 Kingdom Street, office and logistics redevelopment, Westminster

Ashfield Partnership
Residential let urban extension, Romsey, Hampshire

Dougal Ainsley

Dougal joined Town in June 2023 having qualified at Bircham Dyson Bell and worked at Lewis Silkin. He has also worked as a senior planning lawyer for Southwark Council. He has worked on a wide range of infrastructure and mixed-use schemes in London and across the UK. In particular, he has experience of drafting and negotiating planning and highway agreements, advising on enforcement matters and acting on infrastructure examinations, planning appeals and judicial reviews.

Experience:

Nuveen Real Estate
Advising on the planning application and section 106 agreement for office extension and refurbishment at 40 Holborn Viaduct

Anderson O&U
Drafting and advising on the section 106 unilateral undertaking for a large greenfield housing development at Faversham Lakes

United Colleges Group
Advising on the section 106 agreement a college development in Wembley

Tarian Trustee Limited
Advising on the planning agreement for a build to rent development in Basildon

Amy Fender

Amy has acted for a variety of clients, including large commercial developers, local authorities and funders in respect of both contentious and non-contentious work in London and across the UK. Her experience includes legal analysis of planning applications, drafting and negotiating planning and highways agreements for a variety of developments, including large scale mixed use and multi-phased schemes, planning appeals and judicial review claims.

Experience:

U+I
Advising in relation to the multi-phased redevelopment of 8 Albert Embankment which included Lambeth Fire Station, from submission and throughout the Secretary of State’s call-in of the application.

Vistry Partnership
Negotiating the s.106 agreement in relation to Phase 1 of the Meridian Water scheme in Enfield.

Battersea Power Station Development Company
Providing strategic advice and drafting the planning and highways agreements concerning the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station.

AXA
Advising on all planning and highway matters relating to the 62-storey 22 Bishopsgate, recently opened in the City of London. This has included advising on all planning matters associated with the pre-letting of the building.

Mount Anvil
Advising in relation to a large mixed-use phased development in Ealing, in relation to the original permission and s.106 agreement and strategy to amend and enhance the scheme further.

Quantum Group
Advising in connection with the three week public inquiry for a new extra care community with open space and sports facilities in the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames.

North Warfield Consortium
Providing strategic planning advice to a consortium of developers and drafting the planning agreement in respect of an application for a large mixed-use scheme in Bracknell.

Susannah Herbert

Susannah joined Town in 2017 and has almost 10 years of experience of advising on all stages of the planning process, particularly in relation to complex planning applications and s106 agreements, EIA, variation of permissions, highways agreements, and planning appeals.  She also plays a key role in knowledge management for the firm.  She qualified into the planning team at Herbert Smith Freehills in 2010 and was an associate there for three years before later joining Town.

Experience:

22 Bishopsgate
Advising on all planning matters during the construction and letting of this building including highway agreements and licences, discharge of conditions and s106 variations

Stansted Airport
Advising on the planning application and s106 agreement for the increase in passenger numbers

St William Homes
Advising on planning applications for the residential-led mixed use redevelopments of various gasworks sites

London Strategic Land
Advising on the hybrid planning application for residential development at Garlick’s Arch near Guildford

Little Chalfont
Advising on a successful appeal for residential development at Little Chalfont in the Buckinghamshire Green Belt

EDF Energy
Advising on the DCO application for Hinkley Point C including EIA and HRA and order drafting

Sadia Hussain

Sadia advises in respect of planning and complex highway matters. She worked at the London Borough of Southwark for over 16 years negotiating section 106 agreements for strategic planning applications. She has acted for the Acquiring Authority in promoting CPOs in respect of estate regeneration and has experience of judicial review acting as both claimant and defendant. She was voted the number 1 local authority lawyer in the Planning Law Survey in both 2023 and 2024.

Experience:

Aylesbury Estate
Advising the Council in respect of the Council owned site with Notting Hill Genesis as developer for hybrid outline and full masterplan applications for circa 3560 residential units.
Acting for the Acquiring Authority in respect of two CPO inquiries for the site.
Acting as claimant in respect of a judicial review of a CPO for the site and also acting as defendant in respect of a judicial review for a drop-in application.

Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre
Advising the Council in respect of the Delancey scheme for 979 residential BTR units with affordable housing, shopping centre, London Underground station box, education facilities etc.
Successfully defending a judicial review challenge of the Council’s grant of planning permission.

Bermondsey Place
Advising the Council in respect of Berkeley Homes’ 550 residential unit scheme in the Old Kent Road area with a 44 storey tower.

The Bermondsey Project
Advising the Council in respect of Greystar’s hybrid mixed use development and completing the associated section 106 agreement four working days post resolution to grant.

H1 Elephant Park
Advising the Council in respect of the Lendlease application for an office development with Health Hub.

Southernwood Retail Park
Advising the Council in respect of a residential led mixed use development for 750 residential units with safeguarding provisions for the Bakerloo Line Extension tunnels.

Shard – Highways agreements
Advising the Council in respect of the various s.278/38 agreements for the Shard development including their maintenance agreements.

Lucy Morton

Lucy is a senior associate at Town Legal. She joined Town in 2018 after training, qualifying and working as an associate and professional support lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills.  She has experience of advising on many aspects of planning law, including planning applications and variations, section 106 agreements, certificates of lawfulness, planning appeals, community infrastructure levy, heritage, environmental impact assessment, highways, and the planning aspects of real estate, corporate and financing transactions.

Experience:

Battersea Power Station Development Company
Battersea Power Station redevelopment, London Borough of Wandsworth.

GLP Europe
Data centre scheme at Docklands, London Borough of Newham.

HB Reavis
One Waterloo / Elizabeth House redevelopment near Waterloo Station, London Borough of Lambeth.

Native Land
St Mary’s Wharf residential led redevelopment in Guildford, Surrey.

PPHE Hotel Group (Park Plaza)
Hotel schemes including two successful appeals by inquiry.

Ptarmigan Land
Residential led scheme in Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

St William Homes (Berkeley Group)
Mixed use redevelopment of gasworks at Poplar, London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Stanhope PLC
Life sciences led mixed use scheme at Royal Street, London Borough of Lambeth.

Sellar
Several mixed-use developments including residential, retail and office uses in London Borough of Southwark.

Nikita Sellers

Nikita advises on all aspects of planning and compulsory purchase law. She has worked for a wide range of clients on large-scale and complex mixed-use planning applications, regularly advises clients on environmental impact and habitats regulations assessments, and has particular expertise in managing contested land compensation proceedings. Nikita is a regular host of Town Legal’s “Planning Law (with Chickens)” podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/3pMN3bQe9CPdCw1gbpnMyC / https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/planning-law-with-chickens/id1517510574).

Experience:

Claims against HS2
Acting on a number of high value claims including for IM Group, Curzon Park and Grinsaem including in relation to certificates of appropriate alternative development.

The Crown Estate
Advising on regulatory aspects of Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 (https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/our-business/marine/Round4) and their Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 (https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/our-business/marine/round-5Wind).

Hines 
Advising on the major redevelopment of 18 Blackfriars Road in Southwark.

HB Reavis
Advising on the office-led redevelopment of Elizabeth House adjacent to Waterloo Station in Lambeth.

St William Homes 
Advising on the residential-led development at the former Poplar Gasworks in Tower Hamlets.

Park Plaza Hotels 
Acting for on a hotel development in Park Royal (OPDC) for which planning permission was granted following a public inquiry.

Chris Todman

Chris works on a wide range of developments in London and across the country, specialising in major mixed-use, residential, commercial and life sciences redevelopment schemes. Chris advises on all aspects of planning law with particular experience in drafting and negotiating planning and highways agreements, and strategic and development management issues.

Prior to joining Town in 2021, Chris worked in local government for eight years, most recently for Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, with earlier experience at two green belt authorities. He was ranked in joint first place in Planning magazine’s planning law survey 2021, in the local authority planning lawyer category.

Experience: 

British Land
Advising on various projects including major mixed-use schemes (with differing primary uses including retail/leisure, office, and life sciences) including Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield; Broadway Connection, Ealing; Blossom Street, Shoreditch; and Botley Road, Oxford.

Hines
Advising on the major mixed-use redevelopment of 18 Blackfriars Road in Southwark.

Native Land
Advising on the redevelopment of Bankside Yards, the former Ludgate House and Sampson House sites in Southwark, to provide a new large mixed-use scheme.

London Borough of Islington
Advising on the regeneration of the former Holloway Prison site in Islington to provide a new affordable housing led estate.

Breakthrough Properties
Advising on life science redevelopments – Trinity House in Oxford; and Vitrum in Cambridge.

Berkeley (East Thames)
Advising on the Kidbrooke Village estate regeneration in Greenwich.

Glenvale Park
Advising on the Wellingborough North urban extension.

Arun District Council
Advising on key strategic sites – BEW and West of Bersted.

Carina Wentzel

Carina joined Town in October 2024 having previously worked at Byran Cave Leighton Paisner LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.  She has extensive experience in advising on a range of contentious, non-contentious and transaction mandates (including planning enforcement and compulsory purchase and compensation).

Experience:

Private developer
Advising on proposals to redevelop five office blocks within a partially built 400,000+ sqm mixed use scheme to deliver student accommodation and flexible office/education uses.

Berliet Limited
Advising on the redevelopment of four linked sites to deliver up to 550 residential units, with EIA considerations.

Hotchkiss Limited
Acting on the s.106 agreement for a scheme involving the redevelopment of a petrol station on the Albert Embankment to deliver an 872-bed hotel, with ancillary facilities, as well as the retention and refurbishment of an existing office building.

International retailer
Advising on the strategy to secure the withdrawal of an advertisement discontinuance notice concerning a two-storey digital display at a flagship store on Oxford Street.

Bellaview Properties Limited
Advising on an objection to a proposed Transport and Works Act Order (with compulsory purchase powers) promoted by Network Rail, with attendance at a 5-day public inquiry. In parallel, advising on a s.106 unilateral undertaking for a mixed-use builders merchants and residential scheme (185 unit) in respect of the same site.

VMM Limited
Advising on a parallel application and appeal strategy concerning the refurbishment and two-storey extension of an existing office building in a conservation area, with planning permission ultimately granted at appeal.

Private individual
Advising on a rare discretionary purchase compensation claim involving National Highway’s proposed A27 Arundel bypass.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Acting on the s.106 agreement required in connection with an appeal concerning the redevelopment of Hawkhurst Golf Club in an area of outstanding natural beauty, with evidence at the public inquiry.

Investment manager focussed on renewables
Advising on the planning aspects of a joint venture to construct and operate 5GW of solar energy generation and battery storage projects across the UK.

Charlie Austin

After two years of training at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Charlie moved to Town Legal on qualification where he has since advised on a very broad range of matters including, but not limited to, enforcement, environmental impact assessments, planning appeals, planning and highways agreements, planning application reviews and strategy, due diligence in the context of property, corporate and finance transactions, applications for certificates of lawfulness, permitted development rights, flood risk assessments, and, more recently, the new requirement for 10% biodiversity net gain on all developments.

Charlie’s practice is nationwide, but primarily London-centric, and he is currently acting for clients on some of the most high-profile London developments that are in the planning pipeline or already in development.

Experience

Battersea Power Station
Lead associate advising in respect of the continuing redevelopment and regeneration of Battersea Power Station and its surrounding area.

Park Plaza Hotels
Part of the team that was very recently (June 2024) successful in achieving a planning permission on appeal for a new hotel in Lambeth, as well as advising on Park Plaza’s wider portfolio.

Valor Real Estate Partners
Providing planning support for Valor across their urban logistics portfolio, including the negotiation of highways works agreements and S106 agreements.

Oxford University Developments
Acting for OUD on their 1,800 home scheme in Begbroke, Oxfordshire.

Stanhope
Negotiating the S106 agreement for the proposed large-scale redevelopment of Stanhope’s Royal Street site as a life-sciences led, mixed use development.

HB Reavis
Strategic planning advice and the negotiation of various planning agreements in respect of the redevelopment of One Waterloo.

Pioneer Group
Providing planning law support Pioneer’s proposed redevelopment of the Grafton Centre, Cambridge, as a life-sciences led, mixed use development.

Topgolf
Advising Topgolf in respect of their existing and proposed developments in the UK.

London Green
Providing planning advice to London Green on their growing portfolio of primarily student accommodation and co-living schemes across London.

Tom Brooks

Tom trained and qualified as a solicitor at Town. He has a wide range of planning law experience including section 106 and highways agreements, acting in appeals, transaction support work and strategic advice.

Tom began his career as a heritage consultant and maintains full membership of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).

Experience

Aroland Holdings
Advising on the new scheme for 1 Undershaft, the tallest proposed building in the City Cluster.

BentallGreenOak
Transaction support and highways agreements for developments in BGO’s Central London office fund.

Berkeley Group
Planning application reviews, advice and agreements on developments by St William on former gasworks sites in London.

Firethorn Trust
Advising on residential and logistics schemes including a successful appeal for 530 homes in North West Bicester.

Lincoln MGT
Planning and highways advice on Station Hill, a major mixed-use development in central Reading.

Native Land
Section 106 agreements for residential and commercial developments in Camden and Guildford.

Matthew Cockerill

Matt has a broad range of experience in contentious and non-contentious aspects of town and country planning for clients in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. As well as negotiating planning and highways agreements in relation to large scale, complex and phased developments, he regularly advises on planning application submissions, environmental impact assessment, use classes, permitted development rights, and stopping up orders. Matt’s contentious experience includes acting on a variety of planning appeals (including those recovered by the Secretary of State), enforcement matters, and claims for judicial and statutory review.

Matt also has significant experience of infrastructure planning having advised applicants, local authorities and The Crown Estate in relation to applications for development consent under the NSIP regime. This includes advising an applicant on its successful application for development consent throughout the pre-submission, submission, and examination phases.

Matt joined Town in 2024 from Clyde & Co LLP, having qualified into its planning team in 2021.

Jack Curnow

Jack Curnow is an Australian qualified solicitor admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Victoria. He has previously worked in Melbourne at Best Hooper Lawyers, a specialist planning and development firm. Jack joined Town Legal in September 2023 as a Paralegal and became Associate (Australian Qualified) in October 2024. Since joining Town, Jack continues to grow his practice area and has acted on a broad range of matters including planning and highways agreements, enforcement notices, High Court and Court of Appeal challenges, planning appeals and planning application reviews and strategy.

Experience:

Redrow Homes  
High Court statutory challenge in relation to a site in the Green Belt.

Land Improvement Holdings
Advising on planning matters and negotiating S106 Agreement in relation to High Leigh Garden Village, Hoddesdon.

Manchester Airport PLC
Advising on planning matters and S106 Agreement in relation to the Manchester Airport.

Scape Living
Advising on planning matters and negotiating S106 Agreements in Westminster City Council and Waltham Forest Council.

Fabrix
Planning application review and negotiating S106 Agreement in relation to Bromley-by-Bow Industrial Park.

Jamie Davies

Jamie advises on all aspects of planning law, having had particular experience advising on office-led and residential-led redevelopment, tall buildings, heritage impacts, environmental impact assessment, and major regeneration schemes.

Jamie has advised private developers, landowners, public bodies, lenders, and utility and other regulated companies and has further experience in infrastructure and retail sectors.

Jamie trained at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, before working at Farrer & Co LLP and then joining Town Legal in September 2023.

Aline Hyde

Aline trained and qualified at Town, having previously been a senior planner at a local planning authority in Surrey. Aline brings her experience of plan-making and development management to the team and has recently advised on policy interpretation, phasing, decision-making arrangements and engagement with local authorities, implementation, post-permission changes to development, use classes, permitted development rights, the Community Infrastructure Levy, Assets of Community Value and applications for Lawful Development Certificates. She has experience in identifying grounds and making and resisting applications for judicial review and statutory review, advising on and preparing planning appeals, and negotiating section 106, section 278 and section 38 legal agreements. Aline is currently instructed on the promotion of a new settlement through the local plan process, as well as advising on the development of land already allocated for new settlements and urban extensions. She is also working on the redevelopment of an industrial site for a new local centre in London. As a planner, Aline appeared as an expert witness in an appeal recovered by the Secretary of State, which dealt with issues of Green Belt development in principle and a case for very special circumstances. She maintains her chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and has recently had articles published in Planning magazine and the EG.

Experience:

Galliard
Application review and negotiation of highways agreement for development in London and Birmingham.

CIT Group
Application review, strategy and negotiation of section 106 and highways agreements on sites in London.

Pocket Living
Providing Community Infrastructure Levy advice and negotiating section 106, section 278 and section 38 agreements in connection with residential development on sites across London.

Safiyah Islam

Safiyah trained and qualified at Town. She has experience of advising a range of clients on complex mixed-use planning applications, section 106 agreements, planning appeal proceedings, judicial reviews and statutory challenges, local plan examinations, and compulsory purchase compensation claims. She also advises on environmental impact assessments, highway matters, the community infrastructure levy and the use classes system. Safiyah is also a trustee of the UK Environmental Law Association.

Experience:

British Land
Advising on the development of a 13-storey office building and a logistics hub at 5 Kingdom Street in Paddington, and advising on the redevelopment of office accommodation at West One Shopping Centre on Oxford Street.

Berkeley Homes
Advising on the residential-led White City Living development in Hammersmith & Fulham comprising up to 1,465 homes.

Pella Real Estate Partners and Orion Capital Managers
Advising on the redevelopment of the former BT Centre in the City of London to create a 14-storey office building with a publicly accessible route through the site.

Henigman
Advising on the redevelopment of the former West End Central Police Station on Savile Row to create an 11-storey office building with a restaurant and flexible workspace / training facility.

Cheyne Capital
Advising on a mixed-use development comprising a hotel and events space at Taxi House in Westminster, and advising on the development of 3 apartment buildings at Mabgate Yard in Leeds.

NH Devco
Advising on the Northfleet Harbourside development in Gravesham, Kent comprising up to 3,500 homes with a 300-bed hotel and an 8,000-seat stadium.

Emma McDonald

Emma has experience advising a wide range of clients in respect of complex mixed-use planning applications (including several co-living and Build to Rent schemes) and negotiating associated section 106 agreements and highways agreements. Emma has acted on a number of high profile planning appeals, judicial review claims and compulsory purchase compensation claims. She also advises on community infrastructure levy (CIL), the use classes system, and planning enforcement.

Experience:

Olympus Property Holding Limited
Advising on the regeneration of the London Olympia Exhibition Centre, Kensington to deliver improved exhibition and conferencing facilities, offices, hotel accommodation, retail, leisure and new cultural uses.

London City Airport
Advising on the airport’s latest infrastructure programme known as the City Airport Development Programme and the associated planning permission.

Greystar Real Estate
Advising in relation to large scale Build to Rent residential developments at Lombard Rd, Battersea and One Lansdowne, Croydon.

GPE Plc
Advising GPE on all planning law aspects of its high quality office developments across London, including multiple developments in Westminster and Southwark.

Amro Real Estate Partners
Advising in relation to planning applications and subsequent permissions for large scale Build to Rent and co-living schemes across London, including: The Rex, Kingston; The Quadrant, Sutton; and Croydon Park Hotel, Croydon.

Capital & Regional Plc
Advising on the regeneration of The Mall, Walthamstow including the Build to Rent and commercial elements of the development.

M&G/Nuveen
Advising on planning law aspects of premium office developments including 40 Holborn Viaduct, City of London and 40 Leadenhall, City of London.

Curzon Park Limited
CPO compensation claim against HS2 and associated CAAD appeal.

Anna Sidebottom

Anna advises on all aspects of planning, highways and compulsory purchase law.

She regularly advises on planning application submissions, negotiates planning and highways agreements and provides transactional support for real estate, corporate and finance transactions (including undertaking planning due diligence). She also advises on the wide variety of planning matters arising out of that work, including CIL, environmental impact assessment and the use classes system.

Anna has experience acting in judicial review and planning appeal proceedings. She has advised on enforcement matters, including enforcement notice appeals and obtaining injunctions.

Anna completed her training at Sharpe Pritchard where she primarily advised local planning authority clients, before moving to Osborne Clarke where she acted for a range of commercial clients (particularly in the logistics sector). Anna joined Town Legal in September 2023.

Experience:

Petersham Nurseries Limited 
Acting for Petersham Nurseries in a successful enforcement notice appeal.

Imperial College 
Advising Imperial on a major mixed-use development at One Portal Way, North Acton.

Matt Speed

Matt trained at Pinsent Masons LLP where he qualified as an Infrastructure Projects and Concessions solicitor. Matt gained experience advising large contractor clients in relation to PPP and PFI projects, highway projects, offshore wind projects and large-scale development projects.

Matt moved to Town in 2021 and has since advised a broad variety of clients in respect of complex mixed-use planning applications, section 106 agreements, minerals applications, planning appeal proceedings and judicial reviews proceedings. He also advises on CIL, environmental impact assessments, highways law and compulsory purchase.

Experience:

St William Homes
Negotiating section 106 agreement, CIL agreement and deed of indemnity for a mixed-use development on an existing gasholder site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

CIT
Advising CIT in relation to planning strategy for two office developments in the London Borough of Islington, negotiating section 106 agreements and securing planning consent.

Galliard Homes
Negotiating section 106 agreements in relation to residential-led developments in Birmingham.

Legal & General
Providing strategic advice in relation to land draw down requirements and managing site-wide planning compliance for large development site. Advising L&G in relation to water neutrality, third party ownership and CIL issues.

Pocket Living
Providing planning advice and negotiating section 106 agreements on a number of 100% affordable residential schemes.

London City Airport
Advising the airport in relation to its latest planning application for development.

Compulsory Purchase
Completing deeds of advance payment and providing legal advice throughout compulsory purchase compensation matters.

Art-Invest
Advising Art-Invest in relation to securing planning permission for a large commercial development in Canada Water. Negotiating a complex section 106 agreement, navigating the relevance of third-party land.

PLATFORM_
Advising Platform_ in relation to planning applications for large build to rent led development in Milton Keynes and Leeds.

Manchester Airports Group
Advising MAG in relation to planning matters and section 106 agreements at Manchester and Stansted airports.

Sophie Bell

Sophie joined Town from Addleshaw Goddard, where she spent time in both the Transactional Real Estate and Planning & Infrastructure Consenting teams. She brings experience negotiating highways and infrastructure agreements and working on planning appeals and public inquiries. Since joining Town, Sophie has worked on a number of non-contentious matters, carrying out application reviews for large mixed-use schemes in London and negotiating s106 agreements, however her work has had a particular focus on contentious matters, acting in judicial review claims in the High Court and compensation claims against HS2 in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

Gregor Donaldson

After completing his Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Gregor worked as the Clerk to Lord Justice Holgate for two years, where he first became interested in planning law. Before studying law, Gregor worked in journalism and communications for NGOs, UN agencies and UK government departments.

Victoria Porter

Victoria began her career in planning as a transport consultant, specialising in transport development planning, before joining Town to pursue a route in planning law. Victoria brings her experience of working in the development industry for more than 20 years where she has supported clients across a range of sectors to achieve their development ambitions. Victoria’s experience includes acting as an Expert Witness at Public Inquiry, provision of transport advice for development proposals from project inception, feasibility studies, access appraisals, master-planning, Local Plan Reps and EiP, preparation and submission of planning applications and post submission negotiation including planning appeals, input at Public Inquiry, Section 106 negotiation, Section 278 Agreements, and peer review.

Kenny Clarke

Sarah Collie

Gavin Curtis

Arnold Dopo

Sylvia Gordon

Ella Harding

Holly Holt

Alphie Ibrahim

Seema Jones

Josh Klomp

Carole Lamb

Kelly Mahoney

Portia Ragona

Hannah Rose

Charlotte Rudd

Katherine Whitaker

Benita Wignall

Sharon Xenophontos