020 7242 4986 or 0333 240 0591 London | Birmingham | Cardiff
He advises, drafts and regularly appears in court and at public inquiries for central and local government and private clients. His work with senior members of Chambers has given him experience of appellate litigation at Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level.
Clients value Alex's analytical ability and forensic approach to the issues. He is often instructed to appear unled against far more experienced barristers including Queen's Counsel.
22nd April 2022
11th January 2021
The Planning Court has dismissed an application for judicial review which sought to challenge and to quash the defendant local planning authority’s decision to grant planning permission for the commercial extraction of crude oil. The claimant’s main argument was that the greenhouse gas emissions from combustion of products for which the oil is a raw material, notably vehicle and aeroplane fuel, must be subject to assessment within the environmental impact assessment (EIA) required before granting permission.
Mr Justice Holgate decisively held otherwise, focusing on the development project itself and holding that these ‘downstream’ emissions are not capable of being indirect effects of the development. The defendant’s EIA obligations did not require it to assess the impact of greenhouse gas emissions arising from the consumption of oil produced at the site, which might take place anywhere in the world. Other grounds, including a claim that the defendant had misinterpreted paragraph 183 NPPF, or that it is not a lawful policy, were dependent upon success in the main ground, and failed.
You can read the article in full here.
This analysis, by Harriet Townsend and Dr Alex Williams, who acted for Surrey County Council (the defendant in these proceedings), was first published on Lexis®PSL on 11 January 2021 and can be found here (subscription required).
18th March 2019
In this article published by LexisNexis, Wayne Beglan and Dr Alex Williams discuss Humber Landlords Association v Hull City Council [2019] EWHC 332 (Admin), [2019] All ER (D) 62 (Mar), a case of practical importance to all public authorities engaged in the drafting or revision of policies.
The judgment serves as a stark reminder of the court's central role in interpreting the policy and, in turn, the primacy of the policy itself. It demonstrates that claimants who rely less on the words of the policy and more on individual council officers' summaries of it are unlikely to advance their cases very far.
You can read the article in full here.
Case: Public Law and Judicial Review, Planning and Environment
In Finch the Court of Appeal declines to define significant indirect effects for EIA
17th February 2022
R (Finch) v Surrey County Council [2022] EWCA Civ 187
....News: Public Law and Judicial Review, Planning and Environment, Inquests and Inquiries, Local Government
Net Zero and downstream emissions in Court of Appeal this week
15th November 2021
On 16-17 November 2021, the Court of Appeal will hear an appeal against the judgment of Holgate J in R (Finch) v Surrey County Council [2020] EWHC 3566 (Admin). The case....News: Planning and Environment
Cornerstone Planning Day 2021 - Tickets available
20th September 2021
The Cornerstone Planning Team is delighted to host its annual planning conference on Monday 8 November at Royal College of Surgeons of England. Aimed at planning specialists, solicitors, and policy makers, this....Case:
BBC reporting of court proceedings a “catalogue of serious errors”
8th February 2021
The BBC has been fined £28,000 for contempt of court for making an unauthorised recording of court proceedings, and for broadcasting a short extract from that recording in two news....Case: Planning and Environment
30th December 2020
R (Finch) v Surrey CC [2020] EWHC 3566 (Admin) On 21 December 2020, Mr Justice Holgate dismissed this challenge to the grant of planning permission for the commercial extraction of oil at....Case:
Net Zero and downstream emissions in court this week
16th November 2020
On 17-18 November 2020, the High Court will hear judicial review claim CO/4441/2019 challenging the grant of planning permission by Surrey County Council to Horse Hill Developments Ltd for production....News: Public Law and Judicial Review
Obiter remarks now binding: Court of Appeal (radically) alters doctrine of precedent
4th May 2020
Last week a five-judge Court of Appeal handed down R v Barton and Booth [2020] EWCA Crim 575. The decision establishes that R v Ghosh [1982] QB 1053, on dishonesty....Case: Planning and Environment
Planning enforcement orders, time limits and self-certification
16th April 2020
Introduced into the TCPA 1990 by the Localism Act 2011, planning enforcement orders (PEOs) are a powerful tool for local planning authorities (LPAs) seeking to enforce against breaches of planning....Case: Public Law and Judicial Review, Planning and Environment
12th July 2019
The case The Secretary of State has recently dismissed Acorn Braintree Ltd's appeal concerning a proposal for up to 1600 dwellings and associated development on approximately 56.5ha of land on the....Case: Public Law and Judicial Review, Housing, Property, Local Government
High Court upholds Council’s enforcement policy on private sector landlords
12th March 2019
R (Humber Landlords Association) v Hull City Council [2019] EWHC 332 (Admin)
....News: Public Law and Judicial Review, Local Government
New recommendations for councillors from Committee on Standards in Public Life
5th February 2019
On 30 January 2019, the Committee on Standards in Public Life published its long-awaited report on local government ethical standards, reflecting evidence obtained via a consultation exercise carried out from....News: Planning and Environment
Response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee's inquiry on fracking
24th April 2018
Some of our planning barristers have responded to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee's inquiry into planning guidance on fracking. You can read the response here. Our barristers have extensive experience in....Net Zero and downstream emissions in Court of Appeal this week
15th November 2021
On 16-17 November 2021, the Court of Appeal will hear an appeal against the judgment of Holgate J in R (Finch) v Surrey County Council [2020] EWHC 3566 (Admin). The case....30th December 2020
R (Finch) v Surrey CC [2020] EWHC 3566 (Admin) On 21 December 2020, Mr Justice Holgate dismissed this challenge to the grant of planning permission for the commercial extraction of oil at....Net Zero and downstream emissions in court this week
16th November 2020
On 17-18 November 2020, the High Court will hear judicial review claim CO/4441/2019 challenging the grant of planning permission by Surrey County Council to Horse Hill Developments Ltd for production....020 7242 4986 or 0333 240 0591
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