Planning Disputes

We advise a wide range of clients from large real estate funds to SME development companies.  Ridgemont’s planning team also advises high net worth individuals seeking advice on their residential properties.  All our clients benefit from our technical excellence, experience of public authority and statutory body decision making and our unique approach to offering truly pragmatic advice.

We work closely with our clients and their planning advisers to ensure that lawfully compliant plans are drawn, giving your application the greatest chance of success. 

Our lawyers all came from “Big Law” and we provide an excellent quality of service and delightful client journey in a cost effective way.  We provide expert advice on the complete spectrum of planning law issues and where you do not in fact need legal advice, we have a black book of consultants that we are happy to share with you.

We advise on planning applications and appeals.  We negotiate Planning agreements including 106 agreements and advise on CIL payments.  We have helped many clients avoid CIL payments using technical legal arguments.

We can assist you with anything related to highways law, including s 38 (construction of a road that may be offered to the Highway Authority for adoption) and s 278 agreements (application to a local authority to alter or improve the existing highway).

We are well averse at advising on Permitted Development rights and Prior Approval applications, as we are acting for clients in relation to Planning Inquiries.  Ridgemont is experienced at challenging planning decisions by Judicial Review and in making s 288 challenges in the High Court.

We also help clients in relation to Compulsory Purchase Orders and land appropriation, including promoting or objecting and negotiating compensation claims.

Many of Ridgemont’s clients are developers in prime Central London.  As such, we are experienced in advising clients on Listed building, conservation and heritage issues.

We understand that planning law is at the heart of your business.  We make it our business to provide you with clarity as to where you stand and help you define and achieve your commercial outcomes.

Our experience includes:

• Successfully challenging a substantial CIL payment on behalf of a high net worth individual.
• Providing ad hoc planning law advice to land promoters and developers up to the point of planning application and through to appeals, where necessary.
• Advising various developers on challenging planning refusals by way of Judicial Review.
• Assisting Prime Central London developers with technical advice on proposed planning applications and compliance with permissions.