Examples:
Managing a lengthy public inquiry into an appeal against the refusal
of planning consent for a high profile west end development. I was
responsible for the selection of witnesses and assisting them
with proofs of evidence. The development involved listed building
issues and although the appeal resulted in the grant of outline
planning permission we then had to negotiate the terms for a listed
building consent with a large number of interested amenity societies.
Helping set up in 1987 the Covent Garden Area Trust. The CGAT is
a unique vehicle which was formed to provide a second layer of planning
control to ensure the continuation of the old GLC Central Covent
Garden planning policies. I have acted for the Trust since its inception.
It has been a very successful experiment, about which I have written
in the Journal of Planning and Environment Law (the article was
republished in booklet form). Acting for this client has given me
a considerable insight into the problems of the "24 hour city"
in terms of reconciling the interests of business owners (especially
leisure operators) and residents. I am now the Trust's Chariman, appointed by the Deputy
Prime Minister following the retirement
of the previous Chairman in 2006.
The Covent Garden experience was useful to me in negotiating
what I believe to be another unique arrangement, this time between the residents
of the Barbican Estate in the City of London and the owners of an
adjacent late-night entertainment venue. Under the arrangement,
the Barbican residents agreed not to object to an application for
a public entertainment licence until specified hours in return for
an undertaking by the leisure operator not at any time in the future
to apply for any later hours. Discussions have begun in other instances
where this experiment may be replicated.
I also advised the Barbican Association in connection with the Listed
Building Management Guidelines proposed by the Planning Authority
and English Heritage following the listing of the Barbican Estate.
The Guidelines as originally proposed were extremely restrictive
and onerous in determining for what kinds of alteration Listed Building
Consent would be required. I liaised with historic buildings experts
in preparing a letter of objection to the Guidelines as originally
proposed, and subsequently served with representatives of the Corporation
of London, English Heritage, etc on a Joint Working Party which
ultimately agreed upon a more relaxed regime.
Conducting (successfully – my client's property was excluded
from the CPO) an objection to the Royal Docks Compulsory Purchase
Order made by London Docklands Development Corporation, acting for
the owner of Millennium Mills, the largest London dockland flour
mill.
Objecting on behalf of the Queens Moat House Hotel Group to a Compulsory
Purchase Order for the redevelopment of part of Chester City Centre.
This involved formulating the objection and working with five expert
witnesses on their proofs covering a range of technical issues specific
to a hotel industry. At the same time as preparing the objection
I drafted and negotiated an agreement (which was ultimately signed)
enabling the withdrawal of the objection by substituting a voluntary
code covering the carrying out of the redevelopment works, the variation
of the hotel leases to take account of the works, and compensation. I have been appointed to monitor this project throughout.
Advising an Islamic community in connection with their planning
application to construct a new Mosque in the London Borough of Merton.
This involved assisting in the drafting of presentational material
for the Local Planning Authority and attending planning committee
meetings. The application was strongly opposed by a variety of local
and national interests but ultimately proved successful. I advised
in connection with the complex Section 106 Agreement.
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