Tom Cosgrove KC

> People > Barristers > Tom Cosgrove KC

Tom Cosgrove KC is one of the country’s foremost planning and public law silks.

He was appointed silk in 2017 and is ranked in Band 1 for planning by both Chambers UK Bar and the Legal 500. Tom was Joint Head of Chambers at Cornerstone Barristers from 2020 to 2025. In 2020 he was elected as a Governing Bencher of the Inner Temple. He was Chair of the Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA) between 2024 – 2026.

He has appeared at some of the largest and most important inquiries, examinations and court cases in the country and acts regularly at major high-profile inquiries for developers and local authorities relating to residential, energy and mixed-use proposals. He appears in many of the leading planning cases. Recent work includes acting for the government in a key climate change case in the Court of Appeal, for the Duchy of Lancaster (the monarch’s private portfolio) promoting new development in a local plan, for a planning authority in the High Court in a high-profile judicial review concerning heritage policy and for numerous developers and planning authorities in major planning inquiries. His extensive experience of inquiries, local plan examinations and High Court challenges makes him a standout silk at the planning bar nationally. In appearing at the Powys Conjoined wind farm inquiry he played a leading role in relation to one of the largest inquiries ever to take place in the UK

His work covers a broad range of areas and developments including green belt/grey belt, housing, energy, heritage, commercial, employment, mixed use proposals, nationally significant infrastructure projects and judicial review/statutory challenges. He is regularly instructed by leading house builders, retailers, private companies, planning authorities, public bodies and interest groups throughout the country. He often provides strategic advice on development proposals.

In 2021 and 2023 Tom was shortlisted for Environmental/Planning Silk of the Year by Chambers and Partners. In 2025 Tom was nominated as Planning and Land use Silk of the Year by the Legal 500. He has also been consistently recognised in the annual Planning Magazine Law Survey as one of the top ranked planning silks in the country.

He has been listed for years in the legal directories of leading barristers where he is noted as being “a superb silk for planning matters” (Legal 500). In Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 publications he is described as having a “masterful appreciation of the key issues” and as being “extremely effective in presenting the case” with “incisive in cross-examination”. He “provides fantastic, clear and concise advice and is really great with clients.” Most recently, in recent editions of Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, he is described by clients as:

“super articulate” and “an excellent advocate in court”.
“ he has an exceptional ability to take complex legal points and present them clearly and forcefully, ensuring that even the most intricate issues are easily understood.”
“An outstanding cross-examiner and a compelling advocate across a wide range of planning and environmental topics.”

Tom aims to provide an unstuffy, focused approach that understands his clients and their needs, providing them with clear and comprehensible advice.

He was the general editor of the first edition of Cornerstone on the Planning Court and regularly writes articles and delivers seminars on aspects of planning law.

Beyond planning, Tom takes a keen interest in legal education and issues relating to diversity, recruitment and training for barristers generally. He was a Member of the Bar Standards Board Professional Conduct Committee (2013-2017) and was an Advisory Board member for TWLL (2018-2020 – Transforming Women’s Leadership in the Law programme, run by Thomson Reuters). For several years he was a member of the Inner Temple scholarships and outreach committee and continues to act as a mentor for student applicants seeking to pursue a career at the Bar as part of the Inner Temple Mentoring Scheme. In February 2023, Tom was appointed a Chair of the Bar Tribunal and Adjudication Service’s disciplinary panel and he regularly sits in this capacity dealing with regulatory matters.

Expertise

Planning & Environment
Tom Cosgrove KC is a highly sought after Planning and Environment law specialist, ranked in Band 1 for planning by both Chambers UK Bar and the Legal 500. He was Chair of the Planning and Environment Bar Association between 2024-26.

Described as a “superb silk for planning matters” (Legal 500), he has appeared in numerous major planning inquiries acting for both the private and public sectors. He also regularly appears in the Higher Courts in leading planning cases. Tom was shortlisted for Environmental/Planning Silk of the Year by Chambers and Partners, in 2021 and 2023. In 2025 Tom was nominated as Planning and Land use Silk of the Year by the Legal 500 and once again recognised as one of the leading planning silks in the country in the Planning Magazine annual survey. In the recently published Chambers and Partners Directory entries clients have noted:
- I found Thomas to be extremely knowledgeable and approachable but also able to adapt his approach extremely quickly to the audience he was addressing.
- An outstanding cross-examiner and a compelling advocate across a wide range of planning and environmental topics.
- Thomas Cosgrove is very good, highly experienced and has a very impressive client base.
- He has an exceptional ability to take complex legal points and present them clearly and forcefully, ensuring that even the most intricate issues are easily understood.
- For nervous and shy witnesses, he sprinkles his KC dust and they feel prepared and confident by the end.
His work covers a broad range of areas and developments including green belt/grey belt, renewable energy, heritage, commercial, employment, residential and leisure proposals, nationally significant infrastructure projects and judicial review/statutory challenges.

He is regularly instructed by leading house builders, retailers, private companies, planning authorities, public bodies and interest groups throughout the country. Clients have included Taylor Wimpey, Ashill Land, Monatgu Evans, Redrow Homes, Insight Planning, Gladman, Barratt Homes, CBRE, Barton Willmore, Planning Potential, Boyer Planning, Hunstowe Land, Rischo Leisure, Savills and the Duchy of Lancaster. He has also acted for numerous local planning authorities throughout the country.

He has extensive and highly sought-after experience of providing strategic advice and taking high-profile development projects through the planning process from conception to completion, providing legal and tactical advice.

He has extensive experience in particular of major housing developments, renewable energy proposals, heritage policy and related historic environment proposals, designated landscapes and green belt/grey belt cases. He has advised in relation to several of the most significant renewable development proposals in England and Wales. He was instructed to advise and appear in relation to one of the largest onshore wind farm inquiries ever to take place in the UK, the Mid Wales conjoined Planning Inquiry.

More recently he has acted at inquiries for developers and local authorities in several major residential and renewable energy proposals in England, for the Duchy of Lancaster in relation to a proposed local plan allocation and for the government and Local Planning Authority in cases in the Court of Appeal and High Court. He continues to advise a number of leading private developer clients in relation to the strategic options available for land uses of various sites in the green belt/grey belt. He has been involved in leading cases on policy interpretation and successfully overturned a High Court decision on behalf of Mid Suffolk District Council in one of the most important Court of Appeal planning cases in relation to interpreting policy of recent years. Recently (summer 2026) Tom has appeared in a high profile judicial review case in the High Court concerning the approach to national heritage policy. In 2025 Tom acted on behalf of the Government in the Court of Appeal successfully upholding an important decision relating to hydrocarbon exploration in a National Landscape.

Detail of recent case examples can be found below and in the cases section of this profile.

Land at Brick Kiln Road, Raunds – April 2026

Tom Cosgrove KC acted for two appellants, instructed by Insight Planning in 4 linked planning appeals concerning residential developments and a mixed use employment development in Northamptonshire. Issues included the correct approach to applying Regulation 63 (‘likely significant effect’) of the Habitats Regulations in the context of land alleged to be functionally linked to a European site.

Dorchester Court Inquiry – August 2025

Tom Cosgrove KC acted for the Appellant -leading Jack Barber – and instructed by ROK planning in a high profile inquiry lasting several weeks in relation to appeals for listed building consent and planning permission for the redevelopment and repair of Dorchester Court, a listed building in London. The case covered issues concerning design, heritage, planning policy, transport safety highly technical issues concerning validity.
Climate
Tom is a member of Cornerstone Climate, our centre of excellence for climate litigation. He has extensive experience in the field of renewable energy developments. He has advised in relation to several of the most significant renewable development proposals in England and Wales. For almost a decade (until policy changes bringing a moratorium to onshore wind proposals were introduced) Tom was involved in numerous and highly controversial onshore wind farm inquiries throughout the country as well as many solar farm proposals. During 2013 and 2014 he was instructed to advise and appear in relation to one of the largest onshore wind farm inquiries ever to take place in the UK, the Mid Wales conjoined Planning Inquiry.

Since taking silk, Tom has continued to be involved in leading renewable projects and provides expertise in climate change issues often concerning the various residential and other development proposals he advises on. He is currently advising on several energy and climate change related projects and appeared in the High Court and at Inquiry in relation to them during 2023/4. In 2025 Tom successfully represented the Government in the Court of Appeal in a key case concerning hydrocarbon exploration in National Landscapes. In 2021 and 2023, Tom was shortlisted for Environmental/Planning Silk of the Year by Chambers and Partners. In 2025, Tom was nominated as Planning and Land use Silk of the Year by the Legal 500 and once again recognised as one of the leading planning silks in the country in the Planning Magazine annual survey.
Public Law & Judicial Review
Tom is a leading KC with a busy practice covering all aspects of judicial review and related statutory challenges that has enabled him to develop a high level of expertise in this area. He is editor and co-author of a leading work on the use of court procedures and public law challenges in the Planning Court. He regularly acts for public bodies defending judicial review claims as well as for claimants in making applications and interested parties. Much of his planning work involves public law challenges in the High Court or Court of Appeal and he has appeared in a number of significant cases dealing with the scope of such challenges.

Tom’s broader public law work involves a detailed understanding of the powers and functions of public bodies and he enjoys an extensive range of experience within this field. He has advised and/or appeared in matters relating to statutory interpretation, regulatory law, the environment, medical registration, disciplinary proceedings, employment, racial discrimination, consultation requirements, local government powers, licensing and human rights.

I found Thomas to be extremely knowledgeable and approachable but also able to adapt his approach extremely quickly to the audience he was addressing.
Chambers UK Bar (2026)

An outstanding cross-examiner and a compelling advocate across a wide range of planning and environmental topics.
Chambers UK Bar (2026)

Thomas Cosgrove is very good, highly experienced and has a very impressive client base.
Chambers UK Bar (2026)

He has an exceptional ability to take complex legal points and present them clearly and forcefully, ensuring that even the most intricate issues are easily understood.
Chambers UK Bar (2026)

For nervous and shy witnesses, he sprinkles his KC dust and they feel prepared and confident by the end.
Chambers UK Bar (2026)

Thomas is an excellent advocate in court.
Chambers UK Bar (2025)

Tom is very pragmatic in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a case and will work with you and the team to put together the best case that he can.
Legal 500 (2025)

Tom is a formidable advocate and a pleasure to work with.
Chambers UK Bar (2024)

Tom is an impressive advocate, with an eye for detail. He is excellent with clients.
Legal 500 (2024)

He is an excellent KC who we thoroughly enjoy working with.
Chambers UK Bar (2023)

Tom’s advocacy is calm, considered, and to the point.
Chambers UK Bar (2023)

He provides fantastic, clear and concise advice and is really great with clients.
Chambers UK Bar (2022)

About Tom

Directory quotes
- “For nervous and shy witnesses, he sprinkles his KC dust and they feel prepared and confident by the end.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “Thomas Cosgrove KC acts for an array of clients ranging from interest groups to house builders and retailers, and is a regular feature at residential and heritage development inquiries and at judicial review. He also handles sizeable infrastructure cases. He has notable expertise in Local Plans.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “He has an exceptional ability to take complex legal points and present them clearly and forcefully, ensuring that even the most intricate issues are easily understood.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “Thomas Cosgrove is very good, highly experienced and has a very impressive client base.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “An outstanding cross-examiner and a compelling advocate across a wide range of planning and environmental topics.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “I found Thomas to be extremely knowledgeable and approachable but also able to adapt his approach extremely quickly to the audience he was addressing.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “Thomas is super articulate.” “Thomas is an excellent advocate in court.” “Thomas is knowledgeable, professional and has a keen eye for detail.” Chambers and Partners 2025
- “Tom is very pragmatic in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a case and will work with you and the team to put together the best case that he can.” Legal 500 2025
- “Tom is a formidable advocate and a pleasure to work with.” “Tom is always calm and unflappable; he is a very strong all-rounder.” “Tom is brilliant – very personable, easy to get along with and very good at explaining things.” Chambers and Partners 2024
- “Tom is an impressive advocate, with an eye for detail. He is excellent with clients.” Legal 500 2024
- “He is an excellent KC who we thoroughly enjoy working with.” “His advocacy is excellent, and he is easy to deal with and always grasps the issues at the outset.” Chambers and Partners 2023
- “Tom’s advocacy is calm, considered, and to the point. He is excellent at instilling confidence in clients and has a very realistic view of prospects and outcomes.” Legal 500 2023
- “He provides fantastic, clear and concise advice and is really great with clients.” Chambers and Partners 2022
- “Masterful appreciation of the key issues and extremely effective in presenting the case. Incisive in cross-examination and able to pull together the key points in a thorough but concise closing speech.” Legal 500 2022
- “Acts for an array of clients ranging from interest groups to house builders and retailers, and is a regular feature at residential and heritage development inquiries and at judicial review. He also handles sizeable infrastructure cases. He has notable expertise in Local Plans. Strengths: “Tom is very experienced and knowledgeable, can communicate at a level to suit his audience, and quickly picks up the background to a case.” “Very approachable and a very effective presenter who makes himself part of the team.” Chambers and Partners 2021
- “A superb silk for planning matters.” Legal 500 2021
- “He is able to take a view on complicated matters, really understands the position of the client and tailors his advice accordingly, including assessing the risk elements.” “He is very knowledgeable, good to work with and efficient at cross-examination.” Chambers and Partners 2020
- “A very effective advocate with a charming manner”. Legal 500 2020
- “I’ve always found him to be very helpful, knowledgeable and personable. Clients like him a lot and he is practical, down-to-earth and very easy to work with.” Chambers and Partners 2019
- “A firm and effective advocate, he is a good team player and a sensible litigator; knows the strengths and weaknesses of his case and adapts to them.” Legal 500 2018
- “Impressive and very thorough in his preparation.” “Very charming and a persuasive advocate.” Chambers and Partners 2018
- “Recommended in disputes involving government-related projects.” Legal 500 2017
- “Not only is he good on the papers, but he is a fearsome and extremely capable advocate. Without fear of exaggeration or contradiction, he would be one of the best senior junior planning barristers anyone could get in the country.” “A rigorous cross-examiner. He gives people a hard time in the best possible way.” Chambers and Partners 2017
- “He is incisive, gets to the heart of the issue very quickly and is a very good cross-examiner.” Legal 500 2016
- “Gravitas without pomposity” is his hallmark. “An incisive adviser who is highly motivated.” Chambers and Partners 2016
- “Experienced in public inquiries and regulatory hearings.” Legal 500 2015
- “He is a phenomenally hard worker; the effort he puts into mastering the papers and turning work around is amazing.” Chambers and Partners
- “He is excellent to work with and he is proactive in providing advice, which is always on time, accurate, pertinent and straight to the point.” Chambers and Partners
- “Someone you want on your side when you’re in a tight spot….very efficient, and very good at getting down to the nitty-gritty of a case.” Legal 500
Associations
- Chair, Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA) (2024-2026)
- Vice-Chair, Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA) (2022-2024)
- Joint Head of Chambers, Cornerstone Barristers (2020-2025)
- Chair, Bar Tribunal and Adjudication Service’s disciplinary panel (2023-)
- The Inner Temple Member of the Inns’ Conduct Committee (2023-)
- Barrister Governing Bencher of the Inner Temple (2020-)
- Inner Temple Mentoring Scheme Mentor (2019-)
- Inner Temple Scholarships and Outreach committee member (2021-)
- Deputy Commissary for Public Notaries (2017-)
- Advisory Board Member, Transforming Women’s Leadership in the Law (TWLL), Thomson Reuters (2019-20)
- Head of Pupillage, Cornerstone Barristers (2017-2020)
- Citizenship Foundation Bar Mock Trial working Party (2016-2017)
- Citizenship Foundation Barrister Mentor for the Young Citizens Bar Mock Trial Competition (2016-18)
- Member of Bar Standards Board Professional Conduct Committee (2013-2017)
- Administrative and Constitutional Law Bar Association (ALBA)
Publications
Notable cases
Events