Environmental Law
Contributing to a greener future
What is involved?
Environmental obligations have increased significantly over recent years and are not limited to those whose activities carry an obvious risk of pollution. We deliver careful and practical strategies and advice in all areas of environmental law for our clients, allowing them to succeed in achieving their objectives as quickly, and with as few hurdles, as possible.
Our services cover all environmental issues. These include defending our clients when facing environmental regulatory action, providing compliance advice, advising on overcoming environmental constraints to planning applications, challenging decisions made by authorities, and bringing and defending civil claims.
Our clients include house builders and other developers, mineral operators, water companies, energy and manufacturing companies, local planning authorities and other public bodies, charitable and non-governmental organisations.
In the news: landmark environmental case
Freeths has won a landmark environmental case in Harris vs Environment Agency. The High Court has ruled that key European nature conservation laws remain enforceable against the Environment Agency (and by implication other public bodies) despite the UK having left the EU.
Read landmark case press release here >
Why choose Freeths?
- Our team provides a full range of environmental law services
- We have nationally recognised expertise in key areas, such as protected species and habitats, waste regulation and noise
- Our team of environmental lawyers, based in our Leicester and Sheffield offices, range from partner to solicitor level (plus legal assistants) – which means that we work cost effectively
Our partners and senior lawyers are Magic Circle/national law firm-trained (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Slaughter & May, Eversheds)
Our areas of expertise:
Natural Capital: Advising developers, commercial operators, technical consultants and landowners on legal issues relating to the natural capital economy. Our expertise in this emerging market includes advising on the new Biodiversity Net Gain regime, nutrient neutrality and on water neutrality, to assist with compliance with various environmental regulatory or voluntary frameworks.
Natural Environment: securing protected species licences, obtaining planning and other regulatory consents when constrained by habitat/species protection. We’ve recently won a landmark environmental case in Harris vs Environment Agency. For more information please see our press release and supporting legal article.
Environmental Permits & Consents: advising on permit conditions, refusals/appeals
Waste Management & Permitting: advising on waste legislation across all sectors, from development to manufacturing; reuse and recycling of materials
Contaminated Land: including remediation responsibilities and apportionment of liabilities; regeneration and redevelopment of contaminated land
Criminal Defence: pollution and waste offences, non-compliance with environmental permitting requirements, wildlife crime
Abatement Notices and Nuisance Orders: noise, light, odour and other emissions
Environment & Planning: Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment
Environmental law training courses: for environmental and planning professionals
Civil Litigation and Dispute Management: claims for damages and injunctions; claims for compensation following works on, or compulsory purchase of, land by bodies such as the Environment Agency, water or sewage undertakers
Judicial review of environmental decisions and appeal processes: such as appeals against abatement or enforcement notice
Watch our Environmental Law video podcast here!
Key contacts
Paul Brailsford
Partner, National Head of Planning & Environment
Alternatively complete the form below:
Contact Us
Environmental Law Lawyers
Paul Brailsford
Partner
0345 050 3676
Alison Ogley
Partner
0345 030 5859
Penny Simpson
Partner
0345 017 1133
Richard Broadbent
Director
0345 030 5820
Ben Derrington
Director
0345 030 5855
Emma Conwell
Senior Associate
0345 073 8396
Claire Lathwell
Associate
0345 340 4251
Helen Mitcheson
Associate
0345 077 9612
Green Agreements: Collaborating with competitors on environmental sustainability
Articles 15th Nov 2023Freeths advises top 10 UK housebuilder on historic Boots site acquisition
News 29th Sep 2023Nutrient Neutrality: Michael Gove’s proposed amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and the implications for developers
Articles 12th Sep 2023- Penny, working together with a wider professional team for a large strategic land acquisition client, has succeeded in securing changes to proposed housing and environmental protection policies within the proposed Bradford Core Strategy. The changes were needed so as to protect the development potential of her client’s 500 unit site.
- Emma successfully represented one of the largest businesses in the aggregate industry in proceedings in the Court of Appeal, following the Environment Agency’s refusal to grant a waste recovery permit for our client’s quarry. As a result of the litigation, the Environment Agency issued the environmental permit required by our client, reviewed its approach to determining such applications, and replaced the formal written guidance it had issued on the subject.
- Penny devised and delivered a strategy for a large housebuilder client so as to persuade Natural England to issue a “test case” protected species (Great crested newt) licence, allowing the client to proceed with its development over the winter period without first having to trap and move the animals from the development site. This delivered for the client a significant time saving of nine months and of course the associated cost savings. This “test” case has led the way to Natural England becoming more flexible in its approach to the issue of protected species licences to developers.
- Advising a client as to potential liabilities following investigations into possible ground and water contamination at sites in the south of England. Emma worked with the client and environmental consultants to successfully manage risks associated with environmental damage and to avoid enforcement action.
- Penny has advised one of the largest UK conservation charities on its approach to habitat restoration of large areas of redundant land, using waste materials taken from other large infrastructure projects disposing of these materials. The use of such materials is highly regulated through the EU Waste Directive and requires an environmental permit from the Environment Agency. However Penny and her team have identified an approach which allows lawful use of the materials to create new habitats with the least onerous form of environmental permit.
- Emma has successfully appealed many Noise Abatement Notices for a range of clients including a nationwide provider of all-weather multisport pitches and a key player in the British and International motor industry. Emma has also successfully represented clients in private prosecutions for alleged statutory nuisance, with cases ranging from manufacturing industries to dog kennels.
Client service
‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.
Talk to us
Freeths are a leading national law firm with 13 offices across the UK. If you have a query about our services or just want to find out more, why not give us a call?
Contact: 03301 001 014