Mr Richard Sagar > Walker Morris LLP > Leeds, England > Lawyer Profile

The Walker Morris LLP environmental team works closely with the firm’s construction, corporate and energy teams on complex development projects, handling both contentious and non-contentious work. Exceling in the housebuilding and construction spaces, the team frequently handles planning and environmental mandates including land stability concerns, contamination and waste management issues, and abatement notices. Stuart Ponting and Richard Sagar jointly oversee the team, with Ponting advising clients on environmental investigations and breaches, and Sagar bolstering the team’s advocacy work, including acting in planning appeals. Further key contacts in the team include Rachel Turnbull and Josh Kitson.

Walker Morris LLP fields ‘experts in both planning advisory and advocacy work’, with the team handling non-contentious planning advice on residential, road and mixed-use development projects as well as representing clients in public inquiries and planning appeals on the contentious side. Practice head Richard Sagar is particularly strong in advocacy work and is well versed in compulsory purchases and planning appeal inquiries. Chris Slater bolsters the team’s expertise in section 106 planning obligations for property developers, Rob Moore handles strategic planning advice and has expertise in highways matters, and Josh Kitson handles contentious planning work in relation to a broad range of development projects. The team was bolstered in March 2024 by the arrival of Lee Gordon from Weightmans.