Michael Bedford KC

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Michael Bedford’s practice covers all areas of town and country planning, local government law, judicial review, environmental law, infrastructure, highways, and compulsory purchase.

He acts for developers, land owners and public sector clients, including via direct access. Recent clients include residential, retail and commercial developers, landowners, local authorities, and private clients.

He has a substantial inquiry-based practice, covering a diverse range of development projects (from crèches to cemeteries, via castles and tank farms, together with transport, housing, retail, and employment schemes). He has promoted a large number of development plans and is currently engaged in several Local Plan matters.

He also appears in the Courts, both challenging and defending decisions by local and central government on a wide range of planning, environmental, and highway matters.

Michael’s practice embraces large-scale infrastructure projects (including promoting DCOs in Norfolk and Suffolk and several other new roads) and smaller developments in sensitive areas with heritage or environmental constraints.

He is experienced in managing and co-ordinating large teams of expert witnesses and in cross-examining a wide range of professional disciplines. He is a member of Cornerstone Climate, our centre of excellence for climate litigation and advice.

Michael Bedford has repeatedly been ranked as one of the Highest Rated Juniors by Planning Magazine. He is recognised by both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for his expertise in planning.

Expertise

Planning and Environment
Michael is recognised by both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for his expertise in Planning. His experience includes:

Planning inquiries
Appearing as advocate for the Appellant or Local Planning Authority at Inquiries concerning housing, employment, retail, waste, renewable energy, hazardous substances, infrastructure, heritage and environmental matters. Recent instructions include:
- Retail and leisure, residential, development involving listed buildings and Conservation Areas, loss of employment land, solar farms, development on open space, and development of a cemetery.
- Michael has recently promoted housing development in Faversham, , Kingston upon Thames, and Bracknell.
- Michael promoted a major highway improvement on the A47 at Postwick, Norwich, instructed by the Highways Agency and Norfolk County Council.
- Michael promoted a retail foodstore and associated development in Doncaster.
- Michael promoted a large scale MRF on an environmentally sensitive site in north Essex.
- Michael acted for Oxfordshire County Council in resisting a 300,000 tonnes p.a. Energy from Waste facility delivering 24 MW of low carbon energy.
- Acting for Babergh District Council on a large scale solar farm proposal on Grade 2 agricultural land in Suffolk
- Acting for Torbay Council in relation to retail schemes promoted by Morrisons and Tesco in Torquay.
- Acting for Teignbridge District Council in resisting a Tesco foodstore at Dawlish, Devon.
- Michael advised and acted for Basildon Council in the Dale Farm Public Inquiry proceedings.
Development Consent Orders (DCOs)
Michael has considerable experience relating to Developments Consent Orders (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008 regime. He has acted for project promoters, host local authorities, and affected landowners.

Made DCOs which Michael promoted are:
- Norwich Northern Distributor Road, Norfolk, instructed by Pinsent Masons for Norfolk County Council.
- Lake Lothing Third Crossing, Lowestoft, instructed by Suffolk County Council.
- Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing, instructed by NP Law for Norfolk County Council.
Michael has acted for host local authorities in relation to:
- Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station, instructed by Sharpe Pritchard for Suffolk County Council.
- East Anglia One North and East Anglia Two offshore wind farms, instructed by Suffolk County Council.
- Sunnica Energy Farm, instructed by Suffolk County Council.
- Lower Thames Crossing, instructed by Sharpe Pritchard for Gravesham Borough Council and by Birketts for Runwood Homes.
- Bramford to Twinstead Grid Reinforcement, instructed by Suffolk County Council.
Development plans
Promoting and advising on a wide variety of Development Plans. Recent instructions include:
- Craven (adopted 2019)
- Huntingdon (adopted 2019)
- Forest Heath Single Issue Review (adopted 2019)
- Colchester/Tendring/Braintree (adopted 2019)
- Cranbrook (adopted 2022)
- Babergh/Mid-Suffolk (adoption expected Autumn 2023)
Objecting on behalf of landowners and developers to a variety of Development Plans. Recent instructions include:
- Promoting housing in the Swale Borough Local Plan.
- Promoting a rail freight interchange in the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan.
Planning enforcement
- Appearing as advocate for the Appellant or Local Planning Authority at Inquiries concerning Enforcement Notices and Certificates of Lawfulness.
- Advising landowners developers and LPAs on a variety of enforcement and lawful development issues.
- Advising on and appearing for LPAs in relation to planning injunctions.
- Advising on and appearing for LPAs in relation to planning injunctions.
Environment
Michael Bedford’s planning and infrastructure work covers a wide range of environmental law issues, including the main European Directives. He has advised on and been involved in co-ordinating many EIA projects. He also advises on SEA and AA requirements, including defending legal challenges to development plans on these grounds.

Michael has a substantial Inquiry based practice but also deals with a wide variety of legal challenges to planning and environmental decisions (both statutory appeals and judicial review). His clients include house builders, retail developers, institutional investors, landowners and local planning authorities and his practice includes all areas of planning (including highways and compulsory purchase).

Michael appeared in Zurich Assurance Ltd v Winchester City Council [2014] EWHC 758 (Admin) in relation to the SEA of a Local Plan and in Abbotskerswell Parish Council v Teignbridge District Council [2014] EWHC 4166 (Admin) in relation to both SEA and AA of a Local Plan.

Michael acted for Octagon Developments in two planning inquiries for residential development within five km of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area. Both appeals were allowed, despite objections from Natural England.

Michael also acted for Charles Church Developments promoting a residential development in Wokingham which the Council sought to oppose in part because of a claimed effect on an area of woodland it was seeking to have added to the Thames Basin Heaths SPA. The appeal succeeded and an award of costs was made against the Council.

Compulsory purchase and compensation
Appearing as advocate for Acquiring Authorities in relation to road schemes and urban regeneration projects. Recent instructions include:
- Promoting Norwich Northern Distributor Road DCO (nationally significant highway scheme) instructed by Pinsent Masons for Norfolk County Council.
- Promoting the Postwick Hub A47 Improvement instructed by the Highways Agency and Norfolk County Council.
- Promoting Stowmarket B1115 Relief Road CPO/SRO (road scheme and integrated transport) instructed by Suffolk County Council.
- Promoting A127/A1159 Southend on Sea CPO/SRO (road scheme and urban regeneration) instructed by Southend on Sea Borough Council.
- Promoting South Lowestoft Relief Road CPO/SRO (road scheme, environmental improvement and urban regeneration) instructed by Suffolk County Council.
- Promoting Openshaw District Centre, East Manchester CPO (retail-led urban regeneration project) instructed by Manchester City Council.
Michael has also recently been advising a landowner/business operator on objections to the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order, which involves the compulsory acquisition of part of their site.
Property
Michael has experience in a wide range of property issues relating to the development of land, including restrictive covenants, rights of way and other easements. He has advised on a variety of issues relating to the enforceability and removal of restrictive covenants and relating to the acquisition of easements.

Recent instructions include:
- Advising on restrictive covenants and Village Green claims in relation to a major urban extension for the landowning local authority.
- Advising on restrictive covenants inhibiting residential development.
- Advising on easements and ransom strips in relation to residential development.
- Advising on the use of s.123 Local Government Act 1972 powers in connection with land disposals and site assembly.
Michael successfully resolved a long-running rights of way dispute through the use of mediation to enable residential development to proceed.

Public rights over land
Michael has acted for landowners and developers in relation to the establishment of and interference with private rights of way.

Recent cases include:
- Advising a national house builder on the extent of access rights needed to implement a planning permission.
- Acting for a developer on the renegotiation (via mediation) of rights of way and restrictive covenants to enable residential development.
- Advising a residential developer on the extent of public and private rights of way to implement a planning permission.
Real estate law
Michael advises on the meaning and enforceability of restrictive covenants, particularly in connection with redevelopment proposals. Recent cases include advising on the enforceability of restrictive covenants within Hampstead Garden Suburb, Newport, and Slough.
- Bat challenge to housing growth rejected in South Devon01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers shortlisted for multiple awards at the Legal 500 Bar Awards09 Jul 2024
Cornerstone Climate
Michael has been involved in a large number of renewable energy projects promoted under the Planning Act 2008’s NSIP regime. These include acting for Suffolk County Council on the East Anglia One North and East Anglia Two offshore wind farms, the Sizewell C nuclear power station, and the Sunnica Energy Farm. He is also acting for Suffolk County Council on the North Falls and Five Estuaries offshore wind farms, the SeaLink and Lion Link Interconnectors, the Norwich to Tilbury Grid Reinforcement, and the Bramford to Twinstead Grid Reinforcement.

Michael is also engaged with the carbon implications (embedded and operational) of major infrastructure projects, including the now consented Gullwing bridge at Lowestoft and the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing, and the forthcoming Norwich Western Link.

Michael has also addressed conferences and written on the subject of Net Zero and its opportunities and challenges for development projects. He is a member of Cornerstone Climate, a centre of excellence for climate litigation and advice.
- Shell escapes duty to reduce emissions (for now)14 Nov 2024

Michael is always a safe pair of hands and provides clear and concise advice.
Chambers UK Bar (2025)

Excellent at focussing on key points and distilling them from large amounts of information. Maintains very professional relationships with clients.
Legal 500 (2025)

He is a highly effective advocate.
Legal 500 (2024)

He is able to quickly identify the crux of an issue and identify practical solutions.
Chambers UK Bar (2024)

He is a favourite of mine, he does lots of infrastructure work, has really sound judgement, and is good at identifying weak spots for clients.
Chambers UK Bar (2023)

Michael is our most trusted counsel, whose understanding of the law and its application to the brief results in clear and often very practical advice.
Chambers UK Bar (2023)

He has excellent client relations, commercial understanding and advocacy.
Chambers UK Bar (2023)

Michael is easy to work with, and able to see the macro-picture but also quick to grasp the detail.
Legal 500 (2022)

Michael is a class act, with good judgement and a nice, understated manner.
Chambers UK Bar (2022)

About Michael

Directory Quotes
- “Michael is always a safe pair of hands and provides clear and concise advice.” Chambers and Partners 2025
- “Excellent at focussing on key points and distilling them from large amounts of information. Maintains very professional relationships with clients.” Legal 500 2025
- “He is able to quickly identify the crux of an issue and identify practical solutions. The clarity of Michael’s advice is such that it is easily shared with, and understood by, those instructing.” “He was exceptionally good both in his written work and in his advocacy.” Chambers and Partners 2024
- “Michael thoroughly prepares for meetings and is authoritative and clear with clients. He takes in a great deal of detailed information quickly and provides pragmatic advice. He is a highly effective advocate”. Legal 500 2024
- “Michael is our most trusted counsel, whose understanding of the law and its application to the brief results in clear and often very practical advice.” “He has excellent client relations, commercial understanding and advocacy.” “He is a favourite of mine, he does lots of infrastructure work, has really sound judgement, and is good at identifying weak spots for clients.” Chambers and Partners 2023
- “Michael is very well prepared for conferences and hearings. He has a no nonsense approach, knows how to pitch the case at examination hearings, and has a great eye for detail.” Legal 500 2023
- “He is meticulous in preparation and extremely good with clients.” Chambers and Partners 2022
- “Michael is easy to work with, and able to see the macro-picture but also quick to grasp the detail. He is personable and quick to get stuck in.” Legal 500 2022
- “Possesses extensive experience in planning, and focuses on development plans and regeneration schemes as well as significant infrastructure projects. He is known for his representation of local authorities and regularly accepts instruction in large inquiries and judicial review. Strengths: “Michael is a class act, with good judgement and a nice, understated manner.” “He is brilliant with client departments and at providing confidence in his case preparation.” Chambers and Partners 2021
- “Michael is forensic in his consideration of key risk issues. Expert in consideration of traffic assessments and strategic case making for highways schemes Calm, concise and unflappable in advocacy Written advice is clear, thorough and gets to the nub of the issue with practical advice.” Legal 500 2021
- “A very charming, effective, very robust advocate.” “Michael is extremely thorough and is able to ensure that the whole team know exactly what they need to do for the case in hand.” Chambers and Partners 2020
- “Incisive and strategic in his thinking.” Legal 500 2020
- “He is very calm and considered, very thorough and provides clients with confidence that his advice is well thought through and correct.” “A very hard-working silk who has excellent knowledge of the law and is fair and well respected.” Chambers and Partners 2019
- “He is very experienced in issues relating to infrastructure consenting and roads.” Legal 500 2017
- “He has a great ability to focus on important details while catering to clients’ needs.” Legal 500 2017
- “Impeccably prepared, calm and unflappable. Quietly brilliant.” Chambers and Partners 2017
- “Expert on the interface between environmental law and planning, with a focus on larger inquiries.” Legal 500 2016
- “He has an ability to grasp a complex case with voluminous evidence.” “A man of great detail, who is very helpful in terms of providing informal and quick advice.” Chambers and Partners 2016
- He is “an excellent advocate, unflappable and really adaptable in his style” “and praised for his “strong and decisive opinions”. Chambers and Partners 2015
- “Excellent at absorbing complex and voluminous material.” Legal 500 2015
Services
He also lectures on a variety of planning and related issues to lawyers and other professionals. He is a member of the Planning & Environment Bar Association and of the National Infrastructure Planning Association.
Associations
Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA).
Publications
Notable Cases
Events