Matthew Fraser

Matthew regularly appears in courts of all levels, as well as representing a range of clients in public inquiries and hearings. He has extensive experience acting for and advising private individuals and businesses, local authorities, central government departments, other public bodies, NGOs and interest groups.

Matthew is ranked by the legal directories in both administrative/public law and planning law.

In Chambers and Partners 2023, he is ranked as “Up and Coming” in both Administrative and Public Law and Planning Law. In Legal 500 2023, he is ranked in Band 3 among “Leading Juniors” for Administrative Law and Human Rights, and in Band 4 among “Leading Juniors” in Planning Law. Matthew has been ranked among the top barristers in planning law under the age of 35 in the Planning Magazine’s 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Legal Surveys (ranking joint 8th in the most recent survey).

Notable court work

Highlights of his court practice include:

R (Pearce) v West Berkshire Council [2023] EWHC 209 (Admin) - claim for judicial review against the grant of planning permission for a new sports facilities R (Finch) v Surrey CC [2022] PTSR 958 – Scope of requirement to carry out environmental impact assessment in relation to greenhouse gas emissions Kaitey v SSHD [2022] 3 WLR 121 – whether conditional immigration bail can be imposed on a person if it would be unlawful to detain them Antoniades & Ors v Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas (JR/1, 4 & 5/2015) – represented the successful Administrator resisting a claim for judicial review brought by locally employed civilians in the Sovereign Base Areas (Judgment, 22 June 2022) Monkhill Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] PTSR 1432 – Meaning of policies providing a “clear reason for refusal” in National Planning Policy Framework para. 11(d) Peel Investments (North) Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] PTSR 298 – Whether a time-expired plan is “out of date” under para. 11(d) of the National Planning Policy Framework Tower Hamlets LBC v SSHCLG  [2020] PTSR 111 – Interpretation of National Planning Policy Framework para. 196 on harm to heritage assets RR v SSWP  [2019] 1 WLR 6430 – Major constitutional case in the Supreme Court about what remedy a tribunal can grant to victims of the bedroom tax – acted for the successful appellant Dover DC & China Gateway International Ltd v CPRE Kent  [2018] 1 W.L.R. 108 – Leading case in the Supreme Court concerning the duty on local authorities to give reasons for planning decisions.

Notable inquiries/hearings

Highlights of his practice at inquiries/hearings include:

Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire: represented the successful landowner in gaining planning permission for a 380-home scheme in the Green Belt due to "very special circumstances" following a 7-day public inquiry (March 2023). Grove Farm, Havering: represented the successful landowner in appealing against 21 enforcement notices and securing planning permission for large-scale industrial development in the Green Belt on the basis of "very special circumstances" (January 2023). 458 Oxford Street, London: represented the main objector (SAVE Britain's Heritage) opposing the re-development of M&S's flagship store at a two-week public inquiry for the called-in application (October 2022) Warren Golf Club, Maldon: represented the successful council resisting a scheme for luxury holiday lodges at a golf club in a two-week public inquiry (June 2022) Thistle Quay Hotel, Poole: represented the successful council at a two-week public inquiry resisting a major mixed-use residential, hotel and commercial scheme in the historic Poole quayside (June 2022) West Berkshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: represented the successful council promoting their new plan at public examination hearings (February 2022) Loxwood Road, Alfold: represented the successful developers at a public inquiry securing planning permission for 99 homes in the Surrey countryside (December 2021) Cheshire East Site Allocations DPD: represented the successful council promoting their new plan at public examination hearings (October 2021) Broad Road, Hambrook: represented the successful developer promoting a scheme for 118 homes at a public inquiry (September 2021) Whitstable Oyster Company: represented the successful oyster company at a two-week public inquiry appealing against an enforcement notice requiring the removal of inter-tidal trestles used for the cultivation of oysters (August 2021).

Qualifications Balliol College, University of Oxford (BA, Philosophy, Politics and Economics) Birkbeck, University of London (Distinction, LLM Qualifying Law Degree) City University London (Outstanding, BPTC) Scholarships Inner Temple Major Scholarship