Inquiry
Secretary of State grants permission on appeal for new £300m Category B prison to meet national need
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP,...
He is a appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel. He is also consistently ranked as a top junior in planning and environmental law in the directories.
In 2019 and 2020, Planning Magazine ranked him as the top planning junior at the Bar, being described by one solicitor as “one of the best advocates of his generation”.
Richard previously taught public law as a tutor and lecturer Cambridge, SOAS and UCL. He now regularly gives lectures and training in all areas of his practice.
Prior to joining the Bar, Richard worked as a research assistant at the Law Commission during which time he worked on projects relating to the reform of the Housing Acts and the regulation of residential landlords, as well as monetary remedies in public law.
Richard has a “great reputation for his regular court and inquiry appearances tackling statutory challenges, judicial reviews and criminal or environmentally implicated planning cases” (Chambers and Partners).
He has an extensive advisory practice, and covers all types of development from the very largest infrastructure schemes to the smallest household developments. For five years he was ranked in the top five juniors under 35 years old in Planning Magazine, and is now ranked as the number one planning junior at the Bar.
Richard has acted for the developers of various retail and commercial developments, including promoting a “local centre” in Nottinghamshire and acting on retail-led CPOs in Derbyshire, Sunderland and Croydon.
He acted for the Nishkam School Trust in defending their planning permission for a new faith-based Free School in Hounslow. He has acted for hotel operators, restauranteurs and publicans. He has appeared in a number of cases relating to the redevelopment of public houses, and in particular the designation of such premises as Assets of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011.
CPO and regeneration
Richard has advised on some of the largest London regeneration schemes in recent years.
Notably, he acted for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on the Earls Court regeneration scheme (led by Russell Harris KC) which is expected to deliver around 7,500 new homes. Since 2013, Richard has been acting for the London Borough of Croydon on the £1.4bn Whitgift Centre redevelopment (led by David Elvin KC), including promoting a CPO (through joint instructions from Westfield and Hammerson) for the acquisition of the existing shopping centre.
Richard has advised on a number of estate regeneration schemes throughout London. He also regularly advises on CPO implementation and on land compensation matters.
Richard advises on the drafting and enforcement of s 106 agreements and on CIL liabilities. He has particular experience of affordable housing obligations and viability issues. He acted for the landowners in Medway v SSCLG, the first reported case on s 106BA TCPA 1990, and successfully defended the removal of their obligation to pay a commuted sum of over £1m. He is acting for the local planning authority in a claim for the recovery of over £500,000 in unpaid affordable housing contributions, first in the Chancery Division and now in the Court of Appeal.
Richard’s infrastructure work spans all sectors including energy, transport and water. The directories have described Richard as “an infrastructure specialist who attracts significant praise from market sources” and “well versed in infrastructure matters relating to a wide variety of sectors”.
From 2012 to 2016, Richard was instructed by the Department of Transport as part of the team of Counsel (led by Tim Mould KC) to promote Phase 1 of High Speed 2 through a hybrid Bill. This work included:
He has been involved in the NSIP regime under the Planning Act 2008 regime since its inception:
Richard has recently been engaged by Network Rail to promote two Transport and Works Act Orders relating to the closure of level crossings in East Anglia. Other infrastructure work includes acting for objectors to a Water Resources Management Plan, and appearing in the High Court in legal challenges to infrastructure consents, such as Buckinghamshire County Council’s Energy from Waste facility (led by David Elvin KC), and London City Airport (led by Simon Pickles).
Richard has appeared at over 40 enforcement inquiries and hearings and in some of the leading enforcement cases in the High Court in recent years.
His enforcement caseload has varied from minor householder developments, to digital advertising boards, to large industrial buildings. He has acted for local authorities, landowners and neighbours. He has obtained and resisted injunctions and defended and prosecuted planning and environmental cases in the Crown Court and magistrates’ court, including recovery of the proceeds of crime. His enforcement work has included numerous listed building/heritage matters.
Richard has particular experience of noise related enforcement matters, and recently appeared for the successful appellants in a high profile appeal against a noise abatement notice relating to piano practice in a house in central London. He has also recently acted for local authorities and a major restaurant operator on noise nuisance matters.
Richard has a growing developer practice (inquiry, High Court and advisory), including:
Richard advised DCLG on the early implementation of the NPPF by Inspectors and has acted for the Secretary of State and other parties on several challenges to the interpretation of national policy relating to housing delivery. In recent years he has worked extensively on matters relating to affordable housing viability and delivery.
Richard acts for local planning authorities and local residents seeking to influence development in their area and regularly appears at housing inquiries for LPAs and rule 6 parties. His residential practice also includes acting for homeowners developing their own properties (including through permitted development rights).
Richard’s practice is underpinned by a strong understanding of environmental law and practice. As well as advising on EIA and habitats implications of major schemes, he has appeared in the High Court and appellate courts on numerous environmental challenges. Notable work includes:
His environmental advisory work has included acting for waste operators, owners of contaminated land, and victims of nuisance, covering both public and private law remedies.
Richard regularly acts for the Environment Agency in waste and pollution enforcement matters, including appearing at inquiries concerning the definition of waste and implementation of the Water Framework Directive.
Richard’s property work relates closely to his planning and environmental practice and includes:
Richard recently acted for the claimant local planning authority in four day Chancery Division trial arising out of the failure of a developer to pay affordable housing commuted sums (led by Neil King KC): York City Council v Trinity One (Leeds) Ltd [2017] EWHC 318 (Ch).
Richard also has experience of general property litigation in the county courts.
Richard's public law work has included:
Richard regularly acts for both claimants and the Secretary of State in immigration matters in the First Tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal and High Court.
Richard acted for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in its claim for a declaration in respect of the proper interpretation of the Abortion Act 1967 (led by Nathalie Lieven KC). In professional regulatory matters, he has acted in judicial review proceedings for the General Dental Council and against the General Pharmaceutical Council, including obtaining urgent relief to prevent the closure of a pharmacy.
Richard advises public authorities and operators on all aspects of public procurement law. His particular specialism relates to procurement in the context of infrastructure and the development of land by public authorities. As a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel, he regularly advises central government on procurement issues. Recent experience includes:
Richard appears in the tribunals and the High Court and appellate courts in social security matters, for the DWP and for claimants and others:
Richard has acted for both ratepayers and the Valuation Officer in ratings cases, often in respect of complex hereditaments. He appeared for ratepayer in the Upper Tribunal in Esso Petroleum v Walker (VO) (led by Neil King KC) and has advised the HMRC on appeals relating to Harrods (led by Daniel Kolinsky KC), Tata Steel (led by Daniel Kolinsky KC) and Anglian Water (led by Tim Morshead KC). He has appeared for ratepayers in the magistrates’ courts and Valuation Tribunal.
Landmark's barristers often work at the intersection of our core practice areas; bringing a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience to bear on a particular dispute or issue facing a client.
Our focus is always on achieving the best possible outcome for our client. By viewing the client's objectives in a holistic way - and not purely through the lens of one rigidly-defined legal area - we deliver the best possible advice and representation in complex matters that engage multiple specialist areas of law.
Whether it's providing support as an individual cross-practice barrister or a cross-disciplinary team of Landmark counsel, we are able to draw on an outstanding array of complementary skillsets and knowledge bases. This often achieves a better result than instructing multiple barristers from different specialist sets. This also improves the quality of client care through increased levels of communication, quicker response times, and a coordinated approach to clerking and fees, made possible by our team-based cross-practice approach.
Please contact our practice management team for more information.
Richard is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators having obtained a qualification in International Arbitration.
Commercial/Retail
Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
Development Contribution: Section 106 and CIL
Infrastructure
Planning Enforcement and Injunctions
Residential
Environmental Enforcement
Immigration
NHS, Health and Community Care
Procurement and Subsidy Control
Social Security
EU Law post-Brexit
International
ADR
EU Law post-Brexit
A star in the making, who is performing at a very high standard."
Inquiry
Secretary of State grants permission on appeal for new £300m Category B prison to meet national need
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP,...
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Appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel
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