Francis Taylor Building

Planning Environment Compulsory Purchase and Land Valuation Infrastructure Local Government Mediation

Craig Howell Williams KC specialises in planning, environment and related areas of public law. He is acknowledged as one of the leading practitioners in the field and has acted in some of the most high profile cases.

Craig is consistently rated as one of the leading planning silks in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, and was voted a top-rated silk in the Planning Magazine Survey 2023. Commendations in recent directories include: “a superb barrister”; “his cross-examination is courteous and polite but ruthlessly effective”; “incredibly hardworking and a modern silk”; “Craig is a master strategist”; "a fantastic advocate and adviser”; "intellectually smart and astute"; “A go-to on planning and CPO matters"; “great to work with, great with clients and gives top notch advice and representation”; “The trust you can place in the quality of his case preparation is without comparison – and that thoroughness shines through with the clients come the execution of the case at the inquiry or hearing”; “Craig is an incredibly strong advocate with a tenacious appetite for detail. His preparation is incredibly thorough, leaving no stone unturned. Craig is proactive and his advice is delivered commercially and with conviction”.

He represents developers and operators, local authorities, third parties and others at public inquiries and in a range of other tribunals. He is regularly involved in large planning/major infrastructure schemes such as proposals for urban extensions, new settlements, airport expansions, new road and rail schemes, employment, leisure, retail and other commercial development projects and in development plan matters. His experience is extensive with versatility across many different legislative regimes, including that of planning and major infrastructure, highways, heritage and listed buildings, compulsory purchase and compensation, wildlife and countryside and outdoor advertising.

Craig was appointed and served as Junior Counsel to the Crown (B Panel) and since taking silk has appeared in a number of significant court cases.

Craig was appointed by the Secretary of State to serve as the Lead Assistant Commissioner for the West Midlands region to hold hearings and report into proposals to modify Parliamentary constituency boundaries.

Craig is also a CEDR Accredited Mediator and a RICS Accredited Evaluative Mediator, a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the RICS President's Mediation Panel. He was also appointed to serve on the first DCLG's Planning Mediation Services Panel. (See his separate ADR/mediation profile).

Planning

Craig has extensive experience and a wide ranging practice in the field of planning law. He is acknowledged as one of the leading practitioners in the field and has acted in some of the most high profile cases.

His court work in relation to planning cases is separately noted under Public Law..

BA (Hons), Leeds University Diploma in Law (University of Westminster) Band Award from Grays Inn Called to the Bar (1983 Grays Inn) Junior Counsel to the Crown B Panel (1993-1999) Appointed Queen's Counsel (2009) Chairman of the London Luton Airport Consultative Committee (S35 CAA 1982) (1999-2002) CEDR Accredited Mediator (2005) Trustee of Planning Aid for London (Registered Charity) (2007-2012) Lead Assistant Commissioner to the Boundary Commission for England (2012-2013) The DCLG's Planning Mediation Services Panel (2012-2015) RICS President's Mediation Panel (2010- ) Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2012- ) RICS Accredited Evaluative Mediator (2017) Panel of approved counsel for the National Procurement Service for Wales (2017) Vice Chair of the Lord Edmund-Davies Legal Education Trust (2019- ) RICS President’s Panel Mediators for Compulsory Purchase Disputes (2024- )

Planning and Environment Bar Association (1990-) (Secretary 1994-1996) Parliamentary Bar Mess (1990-) United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (2009-) National Planning Infrastructure Association (2012-) Compulsory Purchase Association (2012-) Civil Mediation Council (2009-14) RICS General Mediation Panel (2010-) Steering Group assisting Leonora Rozee in her report Planning in Mediation (2010) and in the Delivery of Recommendations Group (2011-12)

The Leys School, Cambridge; University of Leeds (1980 BA Hons); Bar School (1983 Bar Finals).