Environment

Environmental law, planning law & public law challenges

Environmental and Planning law is a highly specialized, and can involve a variety of public bodies. Public bodies within this area include organisations that have responsibility for the natural and built environment. These bodies include

• Local planning authorities – typically part of a Local Authority (council) and responsible for approving or rejecting planning applications.
• National Park Authorities – these organisations have additional responsibilities for planning and the natural environment in England and Wales’ National Parks
• Water Authorities, who are usually very large land owners with wide ranging responsibilities;
• The Environmental Agency
• Conservation bodies including English Heritage and the Victorian Society who responsibilities for the built environment

Environmental/ Planning Issues

Legal cases in this area can involve the following types of issues:

Town or village green space issues

• My council has decided to develop the local green;
• My council has made a decision to build near your home; and
• My town center is going to be altered by the council building a new carpark, or leisure center.

Disputes regarding listed or heritage buildings/ sites

• My Council has decided to knock down a listed building;
• A historical building in my local area is going to be pulled down, and I would like to stop this; and
• There was a heritage building that was on a building site area, and the developer will not move the building,

Water pollution and flooding;

• The water source on my land has been polluted;
• Someone has dumped waste in my local pond; and
• A local company has built on the flood plains, and now my house is at risk of flooding.

Infrastructure;

• The Council wants to build a road through my village; and
• The Local Authority wants to build a new road through my house.

Windfarms;

• Someone is building a windfarm near my house; and
• The Local Authority wants to increase the windfarms in my local area.

• Contaminated land;
• Export controls;
• Business ethics and human rights;
• Challenges against planning inspectorate decisions;
• Environmental compliance;
• Site closure and divestment;
• General planning issues with Local Authority decisions;
• Renewable energy planning issues;
• Waste disposal and sanitation; and
• Planning decisions on housing sites.

If you have any enquiries regarding this legal area, please contact Duncan Lewis Solicitors at 033 37720 0409.