WORK HIGHLIGHTS

 

Planning

• Advising senior officers at Manchester City Council on the Eastern Gateway regeneration programme to deliver up to 6,000 new homes; a significant quantum of commercial and community floorspace; a £350m 23,500-capacity indoor arena; and a pioneering mobility hub. 

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• Advising Greater Manchester Combined Authority in respect of a complex and controversial joint development plan document for nine Greater Manchester districts.  

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• Settling a claim against Adur Council by a business premises threatening legal action following the grant of a planning permission for 160 homes.

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• Advising on an application to the Secretary of State under the Commons Act 2006 to undertake works to commons land to facilitate the redevelopment of the former Deepcut Barracks for over 600 homes.

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• Leading a senior officer team to protect a 53 hectare greenfield site in Salford from development, including successfully defending the decision to refuse two planning applications for up to 600 residential units and a marina at a 4-week public inquiry and at subsequent High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings, and via the emerging Local Plan.

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• Providing legal support to officers and members at a variety of high-profile, pressurised and frequently contentious public meetings in Manchester and Salford.

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• Co-ordinating Manchester City Council’s response working alongside other public sector stakeholders to maximise the regeneration opportunities at Piccadilly station associated with the proposed HS2 interchange through the hybrid bill process.

 

Highways

• Negotiating a suite of highway agreements to facilitate the £500m 1.2 million sq ft expansion of Shepperton Studios to ensure that the multiple and complex road improvements required were appropriately managed and phased to ensure minimal disruption to the users of the highway.

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• Providing advice to Manchester City Council and Salford City Council on the full spectrum of highways matters, including stopping up powers in the Highways Act and Planning Act; adoption of new highways; applications to modify the definitive map; traffic regulation orders; maintenance responsibilities; and various licences.

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• Acting for Stockport Council in respect of an application to the magistrates under s116 Highways Act.

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• Preparing an application for Lendlease to stop up the highway under s247 Highways Act.

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CPO and compensation​​

• Instructed by Lendlease in respect of a mixed-use regeneration scheme in Solihull including the extension of a shopping centre and construction of new civic offices.

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• Advising Cheshire East Council on the £90m retail-led regeneration of Macclesfield town centre.

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• Guiding St Helens Council through the use of Housing Act 1985 CPO powers as part of its Empty Homes Strategy.

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• Drafting a protocol for the use of s203 Housing and Planning Act to streamline and strengthen the procedure for appropriating land to planning purposes, providing a robust basis for decision making and shifting the burden of evidence-gathering from the local authority to the developer.

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• Advising National Highways on a range of CPO compensation matters, including a £26m CPO compensation claim, a range of blight matters and settlement agreements.

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• Advising Crossrail, London Underground, HS2, Hovis and Manchester United Football Club in respect of high-value and complex CPO compensation claims arising out of major infrastructure projects.