Planning Law services
The range of planning law services we offer our clients includes all of the following :-Advocacy at all types of public inquiry on behalf of appellants, local authorities and objectors, and also appearances at informal hearings.
- Cases handled have included major housing schemes, major food retail proposals, various types of agricultural development, lawful development certificate and enforcement appeals, cases involving listed buildings, conservation areas and sites with archaeological potential, compulsory purchase orders, statutory modification and appeal procedures concerned with public rights of way and common land, and also Local Plan objections. No case is too large or too small for us.
- Our specialist expertise extends to all aspects of compensation claims (including Lands Tribunal references) in connection with compulsory purchase and associated procedures
- We have had considerable experience in the conduct of cases in this highly specialist area of planning law and procedure and can offer a low-cost first opinion on adverse planning decisions, before clients commit themselves to the cost of a High Court challenge.
- We can usually offer a faster turn-round than Counsel for a fee that is likely to be lower in most cases.
- We are frequently involved in both formal and informal contact with local authority planners and elected members, seeking to secure either the grant or refusal of planning permission, or to dissuade them from enforcement action, and thereby avoid the need for our clients to resort to appeal procedures.
- Section 106 agreements and similar documentation (such as agreements under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980) are an important part of the services we offer clients in connection with the formulation and negotiation of development proposals. This is a real minefield for the unwary, and our practical experience in this area of work ensures that our clients’ interests are properly protected.
As a smaller firm offering specialist expertise in specific niche areas such as planning law, our overheads are significantly lower than those of larger firms. This enables us to offer very competitive charging rates while providing a high level of expertise with full technical support. Our hourly rate for planning matters is currently £140 plus VAT and disbursements, with an appropriately reduced fee for work performed by assistant staff.
We always seek to agree a fee budget with our clients before commencing work. Whilst it may not be possible to agree a fixed fee (in view of the very variable nature of the work involved), we can usually calculate a ‘ceiling’ figure which will not be exceeded without our client’s express authority. We also endeavour to send interim invoices at reasonable intervals, so as to enable a watch to be kept on the costs of the matter as it progresses.
We take a practical common-sense approach to our work, always seeking to secure our client’s wider commercial interests. We do not pursue technical legal points unless they will positively help in achieving our client’s commercial objectives.