Shoosmiths LLP

Planning

Sam is a member of Shoosmiths’ Planning and CPO Team – recognised as Planning Law Firm of the Year at the Planning Awards 2022 and a Top 5 Team in the Planning Law Survey 2022.

Sam advises both public and private sector clients on the legal aspects of the planning approval process, as well as the constraint/risk and land acquisition strategies required to unlock the delivery of major regeneration, infrastructure and renewable energy projects. She also provides planning due diligence and transactional advice, with a particular focus on ensuring a project’s compliance with statutory planning and policy related requirements.

Sam has been an integral part of the multi-disciplinary teams charged with both consenting and securing the implementation of prominent schemes within the house building, build-to-rent, student living, leisure, mixed use, rail & road infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. She can advise on the legal and regulatory aspects of the environmental impact assessment process and how to ‘de-risk’ a project and planning application from this perspective. Where required, she can also provide advice on land assembly and the formulation of an acquisition strategy which supports and aligns with a project’s funding strategy and delivery programme.

Sam has experience of acting for clients with a planning application at appeal, as well as on a number of planning focused judicial review and statutory High Court challenges. She has also worked on a number of complex compensation claims, representing both the scheme promoter and objectors, which she has prepared for hearing in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

Sam is recognised as a “Next Generation Partner” by Legal 500, Planning and Environment (2024).

Sam’s recent experience includes:

• • Advising Brenntag, a global chemical storage & distribution company, in connection with the implementation of the development consent order (DCO) secured by Transport for London (TfL) in order to authorise the construction of Silvertown Tunnel, a twin bore road (1.4km long) tunnel providing a new connection between the A102 Blackwall Tunnel Approach on Greenwich Peninsula and the Tidal Basin roundabout junction on the A1020 Lower Lea Crossing/Silvertown Way. Development consent for the Silvertown Tunnel was granted by the Secretary of State for Transport in May 2018. Main construction activities commenced in 2020 and the new tunnel is currently planned to open in 2025.
  • Acting on multiple CPO compensation claims at the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) arising as a result of the construction of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road which was promoted by Stockport Council. Advising landowners who have and continue to be affected by the project and whose positions have had to be preserved noting the limitation period associated with the compulsory acquisition of their interests in land subject of the CPO.

• • Pursuant to instructions received from the site developer/seller, undertaking planning due diligence and inputting into the transactional documents prepared in connection with the sale of two onshore wind farms located on constrained sites in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Acting for Historic England, development partner to Shropshire Council, on the compulsory purchase orders required to assemble land and to secure the timely delivery of the final phases of the redevelopment of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings – a project intended to revive and restore the site’s complex of historic buildings, including the internationally significant Grade I listed Main Mall which dates back to 1797. It is anticipated that upon completion of the project, the Flaxmill and neighbouring complex of listed buildings will attract in the order of 20,750 visitors per annum. Further, the project will create c.1,000 jobs across the construction and operational phases of the redevelopment, as well as make a contribution of approx. £5.5 million GVA to the local economy.