David Holgate QC

Practice Summary

David Holgate QC was called to the Bar in 1978. He was a member of the Supplementary Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown (1986-1997) in which role he regularly appeared in challenges to a wide range of planning decisions. He was junior Counsel to the Inland Revenue in Rating and Valuation matters (1990-97). He took silk in 1997 and was first admitted to the Hong Kong Bar in 2000. He was elected a Bencher of the Middle Temple in 2004.

He was appointed a Recorder in 2001 and is authorised to sit in both criminal and civil matters. Since 2008 he has sat as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Queen’s Bench Division, in particular the Administrative Court. He also sits as an Arbitrator and has been asked to determine issues as an expert.

David specialises in planning, public law, compulsory purchase and compensation, environmental law, rating law, highways and all aspects of local government and other related areas of property law. He appears frequently in Court (at all levels), the Lands Tribunal and at public inquiries. He has appeared in Hong Kong in the Court of Final Appeal (three appeals), Court of Appeal (two appeals), the High Court and the Lands Tribunal.

David is consistently rated as a leader in his fields in the top two legal directories in planning, local government, administrative and public law, and environment law lists:

“commended for his advice on complex and technical public law and CPO matters. An excellent resource who is particularly effective in Court” (Chambers 2012)

“a highly experienced silk. A man who knows his own mind and what’s best for the client, he has a broad practice encompassing a wide range of local government issues” (Chambers 2012)

“David Holgate gets to the real nitty gritty” (Legal 500 2012)

“direct, forceful and with a clear grasp of the issues …. His practice spans all aspects of planning law” (Chambers 2011)

David is a member of the Planning and Environment Bar Association, the Administrative Law Bar Association and the Compulsory Purchase Association.

He was a member of the Estates Committee of the Middle Temple. Between 1999 and 2002 he was chairman of the Management Committee for the former chambers 4 Breams Buildings. In 2000 he chaired a Working Group for English Heritage dealing with regulation and the protection of listed buildings, conservation areas and ancient monuments.

Please click on the following links for some notable legal cases:

Planning Law

Public Law

Environment Law

Rating and Council Tax

Arbitration

Compulsory Purchase, Compensation and Valuation

Examples of other work including inquiries