WORK HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE ​

​At CMS:

• Drafted and completed complex planning and highways agreements.

• Advised external and internal clients on planning, highways and environmental issues including Biodiversity Net Gain.

• Completed due diligence reports.

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At Cheshire West and Chester Council:

• Dealt with complex and high-profile legal matters on:

  • Planning including development control, enforcement, planning policy; CIL, minerals

  • Highways including TROs, PROWs, and stopping up/deviation orders.

  • Advised on CPOs, local government and governance, and environment law including advice on habitats as well as Biodiversity Net Gain.

• Negotiated and dealt with complex planning (s106s, s111) and highway legal agreements (s278s, 38s, hybrid).

• Attended and assisted counsels at high profile for the Council legal proceedings at the High Court, the court of appeal (on a part 8 claim relating to the interpretation of a s106), but also assisted counsels at planning inquiries and hearings.

• Advised and assisted Directors and senior officers and deputised the Director of Governance and Head of Legal on various projects (such as Northgate) and legal matters relating to planning, highways, environmental, regeneration, and local government and governance law. At Manchester City Council:

• Advised senior managers and officers and deputised the Group Manager (Physical Infrastructure) on highway and planning matters, local government issues, and regeneration projects.

• Dealt with a varied caseload of complex, high profile, and innovative legal matters of Manchester and Salford City Councils, relating to a wide range of highways, planning legal matters together with compulsory purchase and compensation orders.

• Involved in significant projects of Manchester City Council, such as the Bus Corridor scheme, the Factory, the pedestrianisation of Albert Square, NOMA, Edison, and Toxteth street CPOs (mixed and residential CPOs respectively).

• Drafted, negotiated, and completed a number of planning and highways agreements under section 106 of the TCPA and ss278/38 of the Highways Act; indemnity agreements, licences.

• Drafted, negotiated and completed planning agreements under s.106 of TCPA 1990; modification under ss.106A and 106B of the Planning act.

• Instructed and assisted Counsels on planning and enforcement planning appeals, hearings, applications under s.288 of TCPA, Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) references, judicial reviews.

• Assisted the Group Head and manager on complex CPOs and regeneration projects, involving indemnity and development agreements, state aid and procurement issues, licences, permitted development rights, EIA directive and regulations, compensation claims for disturbance and undertaking of public works.