Lucy Close

I advise on a wide range of planning related issues for both private and public sector organisations and individuals with a focus on large-scale strategic residential and mixed-use developments and expertise in relation to potential development within the Green Belt and new communities. Based out of the Birmingham office, I have a national practice.

I am regularly instructed on the negotiation of planning agreements; judicial review and planning appeals; local plan representations and strategy; statutory challenges to Local Plans (which included Green Belt allocation issues); planning application and environmental statement legal audit reviews; due diligence; planning enforcement and highways issues.

Key highlights

• Advised the master developer in relation to obtaining planning consent for a residential-led site (up to 4,000 units) on the edge of Coventry. Assisted with strategic advice at the master-planning stage, a full planning application review (including the environmental statement) and negotiating the planning agreement.
• Advised a landowner in relation to the development of a Green Belt site for 400 residential units. Assisted with advice in relation to promotion of the site through the local plan process (including removal from the Green Belt), subsequent planning application and then successful appeal for non-determination heard by way of planning inquiry.
• Advised a local planning authority in the Midlands in relation to almost all of its planning agreements.