Womble Bond Dickinson's planning team ranked amongst best in the UK

International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has been ranked in the top 10 planning law firms in the UK in the 2023 Planning Law Survey. Published by leading industry publication Planning Resource, the survey profiles the top law firms, solicitors, barristers and public sector legal departments in the UK.

This year Womble Bond Dickinson ranked 7^th and was recognised on the back of the high-profile projects the firm has advised on in the past 12 months as well as the depth of its planning practice, with the team based up and down the country including in Bristol, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Plymouth.

The firm regularly acts for many local authorities and other public sector bodies on major development and infrastructure projects and also advises private sector clients including housebuilders and developers on large scale residential, retail and leisure schemes.

This is the latest in a series of award wins and nominations for the firm's practice who earlier this month won Planning Law Firm of the Year at the 2023 Planning Awards. The team is also shortlisted for an award at The Lawyer and Legal Business Awards in the Energy and Infrastructure categories.

Jonathan Bower, Partner and Head of Planning and Infrastructure at Womble Bond Dickinson, adds: 

"June has been a fantastic month for our team. After winning the Planning Law Firm of the Year Award earlier this month, we're thrilled to have once again been recognised as one of the leading planning practices in the UK. I am so proud of the incredible team we've built and the fantastic work we've delivered for our clients to support schemes that seek to decarbonise the economy and work toward the UK's net zero target aligned with our clients' commitments."

Key highlights for the team include:

• Advising on renewable energy projects including securing Development Consent Orders on behalf of longstanding energy client Vattenfall for two offshore windfarm projects as well as acting for Solar 21 Renewable Energy in relation to an application for a Green Energy Park in Lincolnshire.
• Working with public sector clients including North Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority to secure a Development Consent Order on the Portishead rail line, the largest UK local authority led railway reopening project.
• Acting for landowner This is Gravity in securing a Local Development Order for its 616-acre net zero Smart Campus in Bridgwater, Somerset. The site has already reportedly attracted interest from Jaguar Land Rover for a potential multi-billion-pound electric vehicle battery plant.
• Working with Bristol Airport on its expansion plans and to increase its annual capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers.