Practice Summary
Christopher Lewsley’s practice in planning, compulsory purchase, highways, compensation and rating has given him wide experience of public inquiries and the Lands Tribunal. Not only do these cases use his professional skills as advocate, but preparation before and during the hearing requires him to use his extensive management skills to effectively identify relevant issues and ensure that expert evidence is presented completely and fully focused.
He has extensive experience of rating valuation and compensation cases in the Lands Tribunal and higher Courts on behalf of local authorities, Government Departments, and private landowners and occupiers on a wide range of property types. Compensation cases include compensation for compulsory purchase, coal mining subsidence, and installation of pipes and cables under statutory powers. He acts in rate recovery on behalf of both local authorities and property owners and occupiers.
Highway proposals which he has promoted include several motorway schemes as well as many schemes involving trunk and local roads. He also acts for objectors at highways inquiries. He has represented both promoters and objectors on Bills in Parliament relating to infrastructure projects such as the Dartford Bridge and the Cardiff Bay Barrage and has appeared at many development control inquiries including housing proposals, retail schemes, leisure developments, motorway service areas, commercial developments and mineral extraction. At local plain inquiries he has appeared on behalf of both promoters and objectors. He appears in the High Court on rating, planning and highways matters, and has acted in mediations and arbitrations. He has developed a substantial advisory practice, and is the editor of leading publications on rating and compensation.
Christopher was counsel to the Mount Murray Inquiry into the operation of the town and country planning and related tax issues on the Isle of Man and has recently promoted major highway schemes including the A3 Hindhead Tunnel Scheme (recently opened), the Bexhill – Hastings Link Road (decision pending), East London Transit (a bus priority scheme, under construction), M1 Junctions 11 and 12 Improvements (under construction), and is currently instructed by the Highways Agency to promote the A5 – M1 link.
He has acted recently in rate recovery, rating valuation, and compensation for compulsory purchase cases in the High Court and the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and is currently retained in several ongoing rating cases.
Christopher is a graduate of Leeds University with a PhD from Warwick University. He is a Chartered Engineer, a member of the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Planning and Environment bar Association and the Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association.
07 Dec 1994
Christopher has extensive experience of Public Inquiries. This includes development control inquiries into housing proposals, retail schemes, casinos, leisure developments, motorway service areas, commercial developments and mineral extraction. Recent highways inquiries include the A3 Hindhead Tunnel Scheme (recently opened), the Bexhill – Hastings Link Road (decision pending), East London Transit (a bus priority scheme, under construction), M1 Junctions 11 and 12 Improvements (under construction), and is currently instructed by the Highways Agency to promote the A5-M1 Link at a Public Inquiry in 2012.
There are no inquiries available.
