Ryan Kohli

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Ryan Kohli
George Regan, Senior Practice Manager

Ryan Kohli is a leading practitioner with particular expertise in public, planning and environmental and property law.

He is consistently ranked in the Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 directories of highly rated barristers and has been appointed by the Attorney General as Junior Counsel to the Crown (‘A’ Panel). He previously served on both the ‘B’ and ‘C’ panels. He is a Recorder (part-time Circuit Judge) assigned to the civil jurisdiction. In 2023, he was elected as a Governing Bencher of the Inner Temple.

Ryan is adept at handling complex cases across the public law, property and planning spectrum. He has acted in significant cases in each of his core practice areas.

Planning and Environment

In planning he appeared on behalf of the Secretary of State in R (on the application of Durham and Hartlepool) v SSLUHC [2023] EWHC 1394 (Admin) which concerned the jurisdiction of planning inspectors to determine solar farm appeals which are, or might amount to, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. He also represented the Secretary of State in R (on the application of BW Farms Ltd) v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities [2024] EWHC 217 (Admin) which concerned whether the Secretary of State misdirected himself on the application of Schedule 2 of the EIA Regulations 2017.

Ryan appeared on behalf of Cheltenham Borough Council in what is thought to have been the first planning appeal in which planning permission was refused for a major housing scheme solely on climate change grounds. Ryan is a member of Cornerstone Climate, a cross disciplinary practice group for climate litigation and advice.

Property and Social Housing

Ryan has appeared, often as sole Counsel, in several important higher court cases. These have included Gell v 32 St John’s Road (Eastbourne) Management Co Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 789 concerning whether there is an onus on the Court to investigate whether service charges are reasonable.

Higher Court cases in the housing sphere concerning Article 8 ECHR and Equality Act 2010 arguments include:

  • Paragon Asra Housing Limited v Neville [2018] EWCA Civ 1712;
  • Hackney LBC v Haque [2017] EWCA Civ 4 (led by Kelvin Rutledge KC);
  • Thurrock Borough Council v West [2012] EWCA Civ 1435

Administrative and Public Law

Ryan has extensive experience representing central government departments and local authorities in public law proceedings.

He advised the Appellant in the Hong Kong Court of Appeal in Li v Hong Kong Society of Notaries [2022] HKCA 1482 concerning the powers of the body to impose a late payment fee.

He also appeared on behalf of the successful Defendant local authority in R (on the application of Rafiq) v Thurrock Borough Council [2022] EWHC 584 (QB) which concerned a Human Rights Act damages claim in which it was alleged that the actions of the local authority had rendered an Iraqi national homeless when its accommodation package was withdrawn following the refusal of his asylum claim.

Expertise