planning and environmental law update

Issue one


Welcome to our first planning and environmental law update! As planning has a great deal of synergy with other areas of law, twice a year our planning team, together with other teams from around the firm, will provide you with an update on the key planning and environmental developments over the past six months.

In this first issue we cover new cases and their implications, for example, the Woolley case which highlights the strong links between environmental and planning law and the importance of local planning authorities making these links.

We put a spotlight on legislative change with articles on the Planning Act 2008 and the introduction of the non-material amendment regime and also consider the introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and how this will affect organisations, together with a review of emerging Conservative planning policy and what may happen should the party be elected.

We hope you find this legal update useful. If you have any questions about the articles, or planning and environmental law in general, please do contact us.

Articles in this issue


When is substantial completion anyway?

Tom Edwards considers substantial completion in relation to complex developments, focusing on the case of Ardagh Glass.
Read the full article here

Carbon Reduction Commitment

Laura Hughes takes a look at the impact of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme prior to its implementation in April this year.
Read the full article here

The notification of a Site of Special Scientific Interest cannot be a plan or project

The Court of Appeal ruling in October 2009 narrowed the circumstances under which the notification of a Site of Special Scientific Interest can be challenged on technical grounds. Laura Hughes examines the case and its implications. 
Read the full article here

The Tories' cryptic message

Tom Edwards reflects on the Conservative's Green Papers 'Control Shift' and 'Strong Foundations' and what these would mean for planning policy should the Conservatives get into power.
Read the full article here

The Planning Act 2008, renewal of planning consents and policy reviews - what you need to know

Hilary Wrenn gives us a quick round up of key provisions of the Planning Act 2008 which came into force last year; the new Planning Policy Statements relevant to development proposals; guidance on applications for non-material amendments and applications for extending the life of existing planning permissions.
Read the full article here

Local Planning Authorities – planning permission and protected species

The ability to side step European regulations on habitat protection at the point of granting planning permission just got harder. Jackob Rickett explores the ruling in the case of R (on the application of Woolley) v Cheshire East Borough Council and the clarity this brings for local planning authorities.
Read the full article here



The content of this update is provided for the purposes of general interest and information. It contains only brief summaries of aspects of the subject matter and does not provide comprehensive statements of the law. It does not constitute legal advice and does not provide a substitute for it.

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