Estelle Dehon KC is a public lawyer with a wide-ranging practice, including environment and planning law (with particular expertise in climate and biodiversity matters); data protection, access to information; and election law. In June 2023 she appeared in the Supreme Court in a significant case concerning the climate impact of oil development.
Estelle Dehon KC also appears for developers in local plan examinations and advises local authorities on controversial developments.
Recent work includes:
- Appearing before the Supreme Court in R (Finch & Weald Action Group) v Surrey County Council concerning a controversial permission granted for 25 years of oil extraction in Surrey, which will establish the correct approach to considering downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
- Appearing in the legal challenge to the lawfulness of the UK’s net-zero aviation policy, and advising an international NGO on aviation and shipping emissions under the Paris Agreement;
- Representing developer, Ashill Land, at three hearing sessions in the Examination in Public of the proposed new Waverley Local Plan Part 2 (LPP2).
- Appearing in two of the biggest inquiries in 2021: the called-in inquiry on the new coal mine in Cumbria and the 10-week inquiry on the expansion of Bristol Airport;
- Representing the Appellant in one of five lead cases in the Information Tribunal, determining whether individuals outside the UK can make FOIA requests;
- Representing the Environment Agency in a challenge to consent for Chiltern Tunnel (HS2 development);
- Appearing at three national infrastructure inquiries concerning large offshore wind farms.
