Hannah Taylor

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Hannah Taylor accepts instructions across all areas of Chambers’ work with a particular interest in environmental, planning, and public work.

Notable instructions include:

Munícipio de Mariana and Ors v BHP Group Plc and BHP Group Ltd – Acted for more than 620,000 Brazilian claimants in proceedings brought against BHP Group relating to the collapse of the Fundão Dam, considered to be the biggest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history.
C.G. Fry & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities & Somerset Council – Led by Estelle Dehon KC and Nina Pindham, Hannah represented Wildlife and Countryside Link, intervening in writing in the Supreme Court.
Beacon Cymru Group Limited v Mitchell – Led by Ranjit Bhose KC and Tara O’Leary, Hannah represented the contract – holders (i.e. tenants) in the trial of the counterclaims, consequent on the judgment in Coastal Housing Group v Mitchell [2024] EWHC 2831 (CH).

Hannah holds a 1^st class degree in law from the University of Oxford. She was awarded a full scholarship to study the BCL at Oxford where she achieved a Distinction, focusing primarily on Environmental Law and Human Rights Law.

Expertise

Planning & environment
Hannah Taylor has a growing planning and environmental practice, with a particular interest in environmental work.

Hannah acted for the successful claimants in Munícipio de Mariana and Ors v BHP Group Plc and BHP Group Ltd (led by various, including Alain Choo Choy KC and Andrew Fulton KC). The claim was brought by approximately 620,000 claimants against BHP Group in relation to the collapse of the Fundão Dam, considered to be the biggest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history. In November 2025, the High Court ruled that BHP were strictly liable under Brazilian Environmental Law and were also liable based on fault in respect of the damage caused by the collapse, pursuant to Article 186 of the Civil Code of Brazil.

Hannah’s planning and environmental judicial review experience includes the following:
- C. G. Fry & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities & Somerset Council – Led by Estelle Dehon KC and Nina Pindham, Hannah represented Wildlife and Countryside Link, intervening in writing in the Supreme Court. The written submissions argued that the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of the Habitats Regulations was correct, by reference to the architecture of the planning system, the centrality of the precautionary principle to the Habitats regime, and the appropriate use of planning conditions.
- Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise v Secretary of State for Transport – Led by Estelle Dehon KC and Ruchi Parekh, Hannah represented the Claimant in a judicial review challenging the decision by the Secretary of State to grant a development consent order for the proposed expansion of Luton Airport. The grounds of challenge included the scope of climate impacts that need to be assessed in light of the judgment in R (on the application of Finch) v Surrey County Council and others.
- Led by Jack Parker, Hannah is representing a local planning authority resisting a claim for judicial review of their decision to grant planning permission for a solar development.
- Led by Ruchi Parekh, Hannah is representing a local planning authority resisting a statutory review of their decision to adopt a local plan.
Hannah’s experience in planning proceedings includes:
- Sole counsel representing a local planning authority in an enforcement appeal inquiry.
- Led by Josef Cannon KC, advised a developer as to an appeal against a refusal of a planning application on the basis of Green Belt and flood risk issues.
- Sole counsel advising a developer as to an appeal against a refusal of a planning application on the basis of flood risk issues.
Hannah advises a number of different clients across a range of planning and environmental matters, including pro bono advice through the Environmental Law Foundation.

Hannah regularly speaks at conferences and seminars on recent developments in environmental law both domestically and internationally. In the last year, she has:
- Spoken in a seminar on the Luciano Lliuya v. RWE case, where the Higher Regional Court of Hamm held that, in principle, greenhouse gas emitters could be held liable in tort law for their emissions.
- Spoken in a seminar analysing the UK’s progress towards net zero, as part of Cornerstone Barrister’s annual Climate Month webinar series.
- Spoken at Justice’s annual conference about the right to a healthy environment.
- Wrote an article for Lexis PSL analysing the Inter-American Court of Human Rights Advisory Opinion OC-32/25 on the obligations of states to respond to the climate emergency under international human rights law.
During pupillage, Hannah assisted Nina Pindham with:
- Researching and drafting part of an amicus brief submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights relating to the request for an Advisory Opinion by Chile and Colombia about state obligations with regards to climate change and human rights.
- Drafting the submissions for a successful application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal in R (Pickering Fishery Association by Martin Smith) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, concerning the interpretation of the Water Framework Directive.
- Providing comprehensive advice concerning the Biodiversity Net Gain regime.
Public law & judicial review
Hannah represents claimants and defendants in judicial review proceedings. Her recent instructions include:
- With Estelle Dehon KC and Nina Pindham, representing Wildlife and Countryside Link, intervening in writing in the Supreme Court in G. Fry & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities & Somerset Council, concerning the Habitats Regulations and protection for Ramsar Sites.
- With Estelle Dehon KC and Ruchi Parekh, representing the Claimant in Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise v Secretary of State for Transport, a judicial review challenging the decision by the Secretary of State to grant a development consent order for the proposed expansion of Luton Airport.
- Led by Jack Parker, Hannah is representing the local planning authority resisting a claim for judicial review of their decision to grant planning permission for a solar development.
- Led by Ruchi Parekh, Hannah is representing the local planning authority resisting a statutory review of their decision to adopt a local plan.
- Led by Riccardo Calzavara, representing the Claimant parish council in a challenge to the grant of planning permission on the basis of consistency of decision-making in relation to the loss of Grade 1 agricultural land.
- Hannah has appeared in the High Court acting for a local authority resisting an application for permission to apply for a judicial review in relation to the exercise of the local authority’s discretion under s.188(3) Housing Act 1996.
- Advised a local authority in relation to a proposed judicial review of a banding decision under their allocation policy for social housing.
Housing and Property
Led by Ranjit Bhose KC and Tara O’Leary, Hannah represented the contract-holders (i.e. tenants) in the trial of the counterclaims in Beacon Cymru Group Limited v Mitchell. The counterclaims were consequent on the judgment in Coastal Housing Group v Mitchell [2024] EWHC 2831 (CH) where the Divisional Court confirmed that rent is not payable by contract-holders if and so long as their landlords have failed to obtain an electrical condition report for their home or to provide a copy to them. The contract-holders brought counterclaims for restitution, seeking repayment of rent during the period when they had not received copies of their ECRs, on the basis that they were unaware that rent was not payable.

Hannah has appeared in the High Court acting for a local authority resisting an application for permission to apply for a judicial review in relation to the exercise of the local authority’s discretion under s.188(3) Housing Act 1996. Hannah has also advised a local authority in relation to a proposed judicial review of a banding decision under their allocation policy for social housing.

Hannah regularly appears in the county courts in various different housing matters. In particular, Hannah has:
- Drafted particulars of claim seeking possession under Ground 7A and Ground 14 of the Housing Act 1988, in a case of serious anti-social behaviour.
- Appeared for housing associations seeking injunctions under s.1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
- Acted for local authorities and housing associations in a number of cases in which possession was sought on the ground that the tenant had lost security of tenure by unlawfully subletting the property.
- Obtained a closure order for a local authority.
- Acted for a local authority seeking possession under Ground 15A, Housing Act 1985.
- Latest key judgment on Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 limits Welsh landlords’ exposure for rent repayments after regulatory breaches09 Oct 2025
- Hearings in important test case on fitness for human habitation within rented premises in Wales29 Jul 2025
Court of Protection
- Overview
- News
Hannah has experience acting for Local Authorities in health and welfare matters in the Court of Protection. She has experience both in proceedings challenging a deprivation of liberty under s.21A of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘MCA 2005’), and in proceedings under s.16 of the MCA 2005 involving issues of residence and care.
- Jeremy Ogilvie-Harris and Hannah Taylor join Cornerstone Barristers as tenants01 Oct 2024
- Cornerstone pupils Jeremy Ogilvie-Harris and Hannah Taylor are now accepting instructions02 Apr 2024