Infrastructure Planning

Specialists from our Planning, Environment, Real Estate, Construction, and Regulatory practices work closely with clients' wider teams to ensure efficient management of risk and avoid duplication of work. We aim to simplify complex issues and find pragmatic, effective solutions.

We are experts in:

• Development consent orders under the Planning Act 2008
• Transport and Works Act orders under the Transport and Works Act 1992
• Major/multi-authority planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
• Consenting procedures for Projects of Common Interest under the European Regulation No 347/2013 on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure ('TEN-E Regulation)
• Compulsory purchase orders and land assembly
• Preliminary scheme design and strategic optioneering
• Management of risk in the consenting and assessment process
• Stakeholder engagement
• Environmental impact assessments
• Conducting examinations, inquiries, appeals or challenges

Notable experience:

• Energy from waste:  We advised on development consent orders for 42MW and 75MW combined heat and power facilities in Kent;
• Battery storage: We advised on planning and environmental aspects of the acquisition of a 7.2MW battery storage facility near Grantham, comprising six container-sized lithium-ion batteries.
• Oil & gas:  We advised a PEDL holder on an application to the High Court for ancillary rights under the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966;
• Cross-country pipelines: We advised on the ongoing operation and regulation of a UK-wide oil pipeline and storage network, including renewal and replacement of various assets;
• Subsurface energy:  We advised on the planning and environmental consent for a world-class research project into the impacts and feasibility of a range of subsurface energy resources and technologies;
• Gas transmission: We advised on a development consent order for the replacement and tunnelling of a 6km section of high-pressure gas transmission pipeline under the River Humber;
• Electricity transmission: We advised on a development consent order for a 2.8km 400kV overhead electricity transmission line in Norfolk;
• Interconnectors: We advised on the planning application and compulsory purchase orders for the UK elements of the North Sea Link Interconnector to Norway, and Viking Link Interconnector to Denmark.