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Rebecca is a Partner in our Planning Group in Sheffield with over 16 years of experience in all planning and environmental matters. She deals with contentious and non-contentious issues for investors, developers, consenting authorities, contractors and operators, particularly in the energy and climate change, real estate and digital infrastructure sectors. She focuses on derisking investment in, and development of, complex schemes through strategic advice and novel approaches to risk allocation. She has deep expertise in environmental impact and habitats assessment, biodiversity and nature-based solutions, Development Consent Order applications, land assembly and CPO, planning/highways agreements, environmental and sustainability regulation and contaminated land. 

Rebecca is part of the leadership group for the Sheffield Property Association. She is also the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) lead for the CMS Real Estate Practice Group and the northern CMS offices, leading on the firm’s implementation of its DEIB strategy.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Rebecca gives sound and pragmatic advice and can find new answers on complex projects that no one has ever done before."
    Chambers, 2026
  • Quote
    "She was responsive, helpful and could explain things in a way to non-experts."
    Chambers, 2026
  • Quote
    "Rebecca Roffe is very helpful, well briefed and good to work with."
    Chambers, 2025
  • Quote
    "Rebecca is so responsive. Nothing is too big of an ask; she knows her stuff."
    Chambers, 2025
  • Quote
    "Rebecca is very pragmatic in her approach. She gets results."
    Chambers, 2024
  • Quote
    "Rebecca does really good-quality, complex work."
    Chambers, 2023

Relevant experience

  • SEGRO on management of its UK property estate, including advice on securing consent for a number of data centre, logistics and infrastructure schemes and advice on contamination liability. 
  • The Crown Estate on planning and environmental matters associated with its regional portfolio, including strategic advice on development proposals and negotiating planning agreements. 
  • Cadent Gas Limited as lead adviser on the promotion of the HyNet North West Hydrogen Pipeline DCO application. 
  • Statkraft as lead adviser on the promotion of the Mylen Leah Solar Farm DCO application in Yorkshire.
  • Various funds including Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Clearbellad GARBE on the planning and environmental aspects of various property sales, purchases, developments and M&A deals.
  • Mitsui Fudosan on the planning and environmental aspects of various joint-venture logistics developments across the UK.
  • Various developers and investors on biodiversity net gain and other natural capital, including strategic advice on discharge of planning conditions, negotiating Section 106 agreements and BNG unit allocation agreements.
  • Plantlife as Conservation Body to negotiate conservation covenants, option and sale agreements for the creation, management and allocation of habitat banks.
  • Data centre developers and operators on consenting of new data centre campus and AI data centre developments.
  • Big Yellow in respect of the consenting, development and leasing of its self-storage sites, including securing planning permission for various strategic sites following successful planning appeals.
  • Costco in relation to the acquisition and development of various brownfield sites for the construction of Warehouse Clubs, including allocating environmental liability, negotiating planning and highways agreements and advising on CIL.

Publications

Westlaw insight page on Development consent order applications

Memberships & Roles

  • Priority Group Lead, Sheffield Property Association
  • Member, Interact
  • Member, UKELA
  • Member, National Infrastructure Planning Association
  • Member, Compulsory Purchase Association

Lectures list

  • Annually - Royal Town Planning Institute Planning Law Update.
  • Annually - CMS Energy Planning and Real Estate Conference.
  • Mach 2026 - GRESB Live Webinar on Data Centre Sustainability: Planning, Permitting and Community Issues in EMEA.
  • September 2025 - Pulse Webinar by GRESB: New rules and biodiversity.
  • May 2025 - North West Industrial & Logistics Conference.
  • May 2025 - Waterfront Hydrogen Infrastructure Conference.
  • December 2024 - Environmental Impact Assessment Masterclass.

Education

  • 2007 – LLB and LPC, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham.
  • 2006 – pGDL in Law, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham.
  • 2003 – BA Politics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield.

Insights by Rebecca

Biodiversity Net Gain: mandatory BNG for NSIPs confirmed as government unveils significant reforms

17 Apr 2026 8 min read

The Fingleton Review: what the nuclear overhaul means for planning, environmental assessments and infrastructure reform more widely

30 Mar 2026 5 min read

Data Centres enter the NSIP Regime

16 Jan 2026 3 min read

Water Abstraction Reform: Government proposes a new strategy for sustainable water use

22 Dec 2025 8 min read
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