Rupert Warren QC

year of call: 1994

RWarren@landmarkchambers.co.uk

areas of law

Rupert Warren QC specialises in all aspects of planning and related fields.

He was called in 1994, and undertook pupillage at Blackstone Chambers before moving to 2 Mitre Court Buildings to specialise in planning. He moved to Landmark in 2003.

Rupert aims to provide the highest quality service in advocacy and advisory work in the planning field. His approach is based on delivering this service in an innovative and user-friendly way. Where appropriate, that includes developing an in-depth understanding of the clients business.

Before taking silk Rupert was a member of the Attorney General's "A" Panel of counsel. He advised the Department on the drafting of the NPPF and the PPTS, and continues to act for the Government in relation to some departmental decisions. He is currently acting for DECC in relation to judicial reviews of the consent for Hinkley Point C new nuclear power station.

His practice is centred on planning and compulsory purchase. It is built around a core of High Court advisory and appellate work.  In 2012-13 Rupert appeared in the Court of Appeal in Elliott & Payne v SSCLG (the Crystal Palace Park case, relating to the correct scope of outline planning permissions), Cornwall Waste Forum v SSCLG (St Austell incinerator, relating to the competent authority in Habitats cases), Bowen-West v SSCLG (EIA scoping and phased development), Fox Stragic Land v SSCLG (consistency/prematurity in housing cases), Collins v SSCLG (human rights and the rights of the child in planning) and R (Watson) v Richmond on Thames (material considerations).  High Court work in the same period included R (Heathrow Hub Limited) v SS Transport (one of the HS2 challenges), R (Wakil) v Hammersmith & Fulham (Shepherd's Bush Market redevelopment), Burton v SSCLG (gypsies, human rights), R (Estates and Agency Properties Limited) v Barking (development plan policy interpretation), R (Oldfield) v SSCLG (EIA screening) and R (Lymington River Association) v SSCLG (Habitats and revocation). He also acted in the first judicial review of a decision of the IPC (Innovia Cellophane v IPC). 

Rupert advises and appears for a wide range of interests in the development world. His 2013 inquiry workload includes appeals for Redrow, Croudace Strategic Land, Tesco, McCarthy & Stone, the Caprice Restaurant Group, Oxford University, Land Securities, the Church Commissioners, Harrodian School, Bewley Homes and Devon County Council. It covers housing, leisure, retail, education, waste and infrastructure. He regularly appears and advises in relation to the formulation of policy, including neighbourhood plans. He often appears as part of a team at appeal hearings, and conducts training for planners, surveyors and lawyers on hearing and inquiry practice.  His practice is national in geographical scope.

Rupert's current compulsory purchase case load includes cases for the GLA (Olympics CPO), the HA (A2, T5 Spur Road), and Unex Properties (Cambridge Guided Bus CPO). In rating, he continues to act for ratepayers and HMRC, with current Upper Tribunal hearings relating to Fosse Park Leicester and Celsa Steel. 

Rupert took silk in 2012. He is one of the editors of Sweet & Maxwell's Encyclopedia of Planning Law, and a committee member and past Chair of the Oxford Joint Planning Law Conference. He is a past committee member of PEBA.

What the Directories Say

Rupert was the highest placed planning barrister under 35 for three years until 2004 in the annual Planning Magazine survey. In 2005 he was voted as the second placed junior overall and in 2006 achieved joint first place.

The 2009 Chambers UK guide placed Rupert in the first rank of leading juniors.

"a great brain and star for the future … the best planning junior around (2005) characterised by peers as one of the principal juniors in the planning bar … hugely appreciated for his remarkable depth of knowledge and experience. (2006) ... "Rupert Warren's reputation is built upon his pragmatism, common sense and fantastic advocacy, as well as his ability to get to grips with each case incredibly quickly" (2009)

Legal 500 refers to him as highly intelligent, clear and commercial and as having remarkable depth of knowledge and experience for a junior.

Contact Details

Ruperts main clerk at Landmark is Kevin Squires. He can be contacted directly on 020 7421 1351, or ksquires@landmarkchambers.co.uk Clients are also more than welcome to contact Rupert directly on 020 7421 1358, or on rwarren@landmarkchambers.co.uk

QUALIFICATIONS

Rupert was a scholar at Whitgift School and the Marjoribanks Scholar in Classics at Christ Church, Oxford. He obtained a First Class Honours degree there in 1992, followed by a Diploma in Law from City University. He was called to the Bar as a Karmel Scholar by Gray’s Inn in 1994.

Rupert is the editor of Volumes 5 and 6 of the Sweet & Maxwell Encyclopedia of Planning Law and Practice. He also contributes to Butterworths’ Local Government Law (on compulsory purchase) and to Halsbury’s Laws. He is a past Committee member of PEBA and currently sits on the Committee of the Joint Planning Law Conference. He regularly gives seminar presentations with Landmark, LGG and the RTPI.

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INQUIRIES