Clare Parry

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Clare is a leading junior in planning and public law. She has served on the Attorney General’s C and B panels and has been appointed to the Welsh Government Panel of Approved Counsel

Clare is a member of the Cornerstone Climate cross-disciplinary practice group for climate litigation and advice.

Clare is ranked as a leading junior in planning both by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. In 2026 she was commended in Legal 500 saying ““Clare has completed mastery over her brief and papers. She is the epitome of being prepared yet pragmatic.” Chambers and Partners said: “Clare ..has a razor-sharp intellect, and her preparation and ability to explain difficult points is faultless.” “Clare is incredibly knowledgeable, approachable when needed, and able to navigate sensitive matters and topics with ease.” “Clare’s attention to detail and work ethic are very strong.” “She has outstanding legal abilities and an effective style of cross-examination.”

Expertise

Planning & environment
Clare practices across the planning sphere representing a wide range of clients including developers, local authorities, central government, action groups and special interest groups.

She has particular expertise in infrastructure projects, especially wind energy and transport projects. Since 2017 Clare has been instructed by the Department for Transport on a wide variety of aspects of the HS2 project. She was also involved in the longest running on-shore wind energy inquiry in mid-Wales.

Clare has promoted local and neighbourhood plans and has also advised plan making authorities and objectors on all aspects of the plan making process. She appeared for the Defendant in the leading case on neighbourhood plans DLA Delivery v Lewes District Council, and has subsequently appeared in a range of challenges to local and neighbourhood plans including Manorwood Consultancy Ltd v South Oxfordshire DC, Bewley Homes v Waverley BC, Wealden v Lewes District Council and CPRE Surrey v Waverley BC).

Clare appears in a wide range of section 78 and enforcement inquiries.

Planning inquiries

Clare has appeared at inquiries concerning a wide range of development including housing, retail, minerals, wind energy, and development of listed buildings. These inquiries have covered the full range of topics including in particular, landscape and visual, housing land supply, the historic environment, traffic and transport and noise. Clare has provided training to the Planning Inspectorate and to PEDW on the holidng of planning inquiries.

Notable and recent inquiries include:
- Lanham Lane Winchester (2025): appeal concerning up to 188 houses on the edge of Winchester. Relevant issues including whether a hybrid method of calculation of HLS is permissible when an emerging local plan is close to adoption.
- Hook Estate Kennels (2025): appeal for extra care facility including up to 150 dwellings in the Green Belt. Notable for its consideration of NPPF §154(g) (redevelopment of PDL) and for the question of whether the golden rules applied to extra care facilities.
- Land at Brook Farm (2025): appeal for up to 173 houses in the Green Belt. One of the first appeals to grapple with the concept of grey belt.
- Horn Crag: minerals inquiry raising issues of landscape impact and need.
- Land East of Highwood Quarry:
- led by Tom Cosgrove KC in a recovered appeal at land east of Highwood Quarry on an application for between 1000 and 1200 dwellings and 21,500sqm gross of additional development. Particular issues of locational sustainability when set against significant unmet housing need.
- Newhouse Farm: an appeal concerning 473 dwellings in the High Weald AONB.
- Land South of West Lane Ripon: appeal against refusal of up to 390 dwellings with
- particularly issues surrounding impact on Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens World Heritage Site (acting for the National Trust)
- Appearing alongside Thomas Cosgrove KC in a year-long inquiry into wind farms in Powys.
Higher Court challenges

Clare regularly appears in the higher courts on planning judicial reviews and section 288 challenges. Recent examples include:
- Acting for New Forest National Park Authority in a challenge to a revocation of certificate of lawfulness (led by James Findley KC).
- Challenging the making of Wallingford Neighbourhood Plan on behalf of Manorwood Consulting.
- Defending Horsham District Council’s decision to grant permission for a football pitch that would result in the loss of a veteran tree.
- Acting for the Secretary of State in a challenge to Michael Gove’s decision to refuse permission to M&S to redevelop their flagship store on Oxford Street (led by Paul Shadarevian KC).
- Acting for Glastonbury Festival Entertainments Limited in a challenge to a grant of planning permission for the continuance of the world-famous Glastonbury Festival.
- Acting for the developer as interested party in a challenge to a grant of permission for homes on a site in South London.
Development plans

Clare has advised a number of local authorities, including Guildford BC and Herefordshire CC on their local plans. She has appeared at a number of local plan inquiries.

She has been instructed in challenges to local plans including Wealden District Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2017] EWHC 351 (Admin)) and CPRE Surrey v Waverley BC [2018] EWHC 2969 (Admin).

Clare regularly advises on neighbourhood plans. She has acted in some of the most significant challenges to neighbourhood plans including R (oao DLA) v Lewes District Council [2017] EWCA Civ 58 (a challenge to the Newick Neighbourhood Plan) and R (oao Bewley Homes) v Waverley Borough Council [2017] EWHC 1776 (Admin) (a challenge to the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan).

Planning enforcement

Clare has advised on and appeared in a range of enforcement matters including listed buildings enforcement and planning enforcement. She has provided training to the Planning Inspectorate on planning enforcement.

She has appeared in challenges concerning enforcement matters in the higher courts for example: Alderson v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Environment

Clare regularly appears in and advises on cases concerning the EIA Regulations, Habitats Regulations and SEA Regulations. Notable cases include:
- Wealden v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2017] EWHC 351 (Admin) (case concerning how to deal with cumulative increases of traffic on a SPA).
- R (DLA) v Lewes District Council [2017] EWCA Civ 58 (application of SEA Regulations to a neighbourhood plan).
Infrastructure

Clare is part of the team promoting the High Speed (Crewe to Manchester) Bill and was part of the team promoting what became the High Speed Rail (Birmingham to Crewe) Act 2021.

Clare has extensive experience of wind energy applications including representing Powys County Council in a year long appeal concerning five conjoined applications for wind farms and an application for a 132kV electricity line. She has appeared in challenges to wind energy schemes in the higher courts including R (oao) Williams v Powys CC [2017] EWCA Civ 427.

Rights of way

Clare has advised on and appeared in a number of matters involving rights of way, including challenges in the High Court and footpath inquiries.

The Historic Environment

Clare has extensive experience in dealing with the historic environment. In particular, she has:
- Appeared in listed building enforcement inquiries, including representing the RBKC in a substantial four-day inquiry concerning a listed building.
- Represented the National Trust in an inquiry concerning the impact of a housing scheme on a world heritage site.
- Appeared in a number of legal challenges concerning the historic environment including R (on the application of Martin) v Powys CC [2018] EWHC 2892 (taking into account impact on a listed building), R (on the application of North Norfolk Planning Watch Ltd) v North Norfolk DC [2017] EWHC 3345 (Admin) (local listing), R (on the application of Williams) v Powys CC [2017] EWCA Civ 427 (Court of Appeal decision on assessing impact on the setting of a listed building and when a need to consult on an application affecting a scheduled monument).
- Appeared in a substantial number of inquiries concerning impacts on heritage assets.
Public law & judicial review
Clare has a particular interest in public law, and has served on both the Attorney General’s C panel and B panel. The nature of her practice is such that public law issues pervade almost all the work she does. She has particular experience of judicial review and other public law proceedings within the following practice areas:
- Planning and environment
- Housing

Clare is understated excellence – no courtroom theatrics, just an intellectual force to be reckoned with.
Legal 500 (2023)

The work she produces is complicated and in-depth, but presented in such a way as to make it understandable to non-lawyer colleagues.
Chambers UK Bar (2022)

More than a match for any silk, she has an indefatigable nature and an ability to grasp complex issues quickly.
Legal 500 (2020)

About Clare

Directory Quotes
- Planning – “Clare has completed mastery over her brief and papers. She is the epitome of being prepared yet pragmatic.” Legal 500 2026
- Planning – “Clare Parry has a razor-sharp intellect, and her preparation and ability to explain difficult points is faultless.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “Clare is incredibly knowledgeable, approachable when needed, and able to navigate sensitive matters and topics with ease.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “Clare’s attention to detail and work ethic are very strong.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “She has outstanding legal abilities and an effective style of cross-examination.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “Clare Parry has crossed swords with some of the Bar’s top planning barristers in judicial reviews and inquiries. She is appointed to the Attorney General’s B Panel and is regularly engaged to appear before the High Court in matters throughout England and Wales. Her planning and environmental caseload includes matters involving neighbourhood plans and cultural heritage issues.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “Clare is calm and collected; she is able to make the client feel at ease”, “She certainly knows the housing law, which is pertinent”, “Clare is a very approachable and persuasive advocate. Chambers and Partners 2025
- Planning – “Clare is calm and collected, and she is able to make the client feel at ease.” Chambers and Partners 2024
- Planning – “Has crossed swords with some of the Bar’s top planning barristers in judicial reviews and inquiries. She is appointed to the Attorney General’s B Panel and is regularly engaged to appear before the High Court in matters throughout England and Wales. Her planning and environmental caseload includes matters involving neighbourhood plans and cultural heritage issues.” Strengths: “The clients were delighted with her analysis and tenacity.” “Clare is our go-to lawyer for planning work.” Chambers and Partners 2023
- Planning – “Clare is understated excellence – no courtroom theatrics, just an intellectual force to be reckoned with. She is patient with clients and a careful assessor of risk, but has X-ray vision for strengths and weaknesses of the other side’s case and will go for the jugular.” Legal 500 2023
- Planning – “She is very approachable and a persuasive advocate.” “The work she produces is complicated and in-depth, but presented in such a way as to make it understandable to non-lawyer colleagues.” Chambers and Partners 2022
- Environment – “She has a strong public law practice, particularly in planning and environmental matters, and performs well.” Legal 500 2022
- Planning – “Clare Parry gives exceptional written advice, with thoughtful and logical conclusions expressed clearly.” “She is very popular with local authority clients.” Chambers and Partners 2021
- “More than a match for any silk, she has an indefatigable nature and an ability to grasp complex issues quickly.” Legal 500 2020
- “She has a quick legal brain and is unfazed by complex legal issues” Legal 500 2020
- “She has excellent knowledge of planning and environmental law. She provides clear and well-structured advice and has great advocacy skills.” Chambers and Partners 2019
- “She’s a superb advocate who is good on incredibly complex local challenges.” Chambers and Partners 2018
- “She always delivers a first-class service. She turns jobs around very efficiently and often when faced with very difficult time constraints.” Chambers and Partners 2017
- “She has good knowledge and is excellent in court.” Chambers and Partners 2017
- “As an advocate she matches a detailed command of the papers with a terrier-like cross-examination style that is both effective and goes down well with clients.” Chambers and Partners 2016
Services
Clare regularly gives talks on aspects of planning law.
Associations
- Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA)
- Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
- Parliamentary Bar Mess
- National Infrastructure Planning Assocation
- London Welsh Lawyers Association
Publications
Notable cases
Events