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Planning lawyers

We are one of the largest planning teams in the UK with over 30 specialist lawyers. We are motivated by a passion to help to create exceptional places and environments and deliver essential infrastructure to meet the UK's demographic and development needs.

Planning shapes every aspect of our lives. The buildings and environments in which we live, work, shop, play and educate the next generation have all been created through commercial enterprise, consultation and the exercise of political power by our elected representatives through the planning system.

Alongside our expertise in real estate we are also leading specialists in energy & infrastructure consenting.

Working for many years across a full range of development and infrastructure sectors gives us deep industry experience and perspective so that we can deliver clear and practical advice on fast-moving projects. We have assisted our clients with obtaining planning permissions and other consents for some of the UK’s largest and most complex schemes.

Our expertise spreads across urban regeneration, housing, retail, data centres, industrial and logistics, hotels and leisure, surplus land and energy and infrastructure. Our aim for every development is to ensure that our client obtains implementable, flexible, bankable and fit-for-purpose consents in accordance with their programme.

In the last three years alone, we have helped our clients to secure planning permissions for:

  • Over 24,000 new homes
  • Over 8m sq. ft. of retail
  • Over 6m sq. ft. of offices
  • Over 4m sq. ft. of industrial
  • 10GW / 1,100 Kms of generation / networks
 
David Wilkinson
David Wilkinson
Partner
United Kingdom, London
David specialises in real estate investment and development in central London and beyond. He acts for global private equity, real estate funds, institutions, developers and landed estates across a variety...
Robert Garden
Robert Garden
Of Counsel
United Kingdom, London
Robert is Of Counsel in CMS’s planning team in London, with a specialism in energy and infrastructure projects. Robert joined CMS in 2010 and trained with the firm. Robert has particular experience...
Nicola Insley
Nicola Insley
Of Counsel
United Kingdom, Aberdeen
Nicola Insley is Of Counsel in our Planning Team. She has more than a decade of experience of advising on all aspects of planning law including strategic advice on nationally significant infrastructure...
Joanna Waddell
Joanna Waddell
Of Counsel
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
Joanna is Of Counsel in the Environment Team
Katy Abrahams
Katy Abrahams
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, London
Katy is a Senior Associate in CMS’s planning team in London. Katy joined CMS in 2012 and trained with the firm. She practices in all areas of planning law, with a specialism in advising regarding large...
Lindsay Dougall
Lindsay Dougall
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
Lindsay Dougall is a Senior Associate in the Real Estate department
Charlotte Green
Charlotte Green
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, Sheffield
Charlotte is a Senior Associate in the Real Estate Disputes team
Gael Hardie
Gael Hardie
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, London
Gael is an associate in the CMS planning team in London, having qualified in 2017. Gael has vast experience across a range of both contentious and non-contentious planning matters. She has particular...
Roisin Laycock
Roisin Laycock
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, Sheffield
Roisin Laycock is a Senior Associate in the Planning team
Anthony McNamee
Anthony McNamee
Senior Associate
United Kingdom, London
Anthony McNamee is a senior associate in the Planning Team at CMS London