Contributors
Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) Partner, Vicki Redman, has been featured in The Planner's Women of Influence 2023 list, which celebrates women who have made an impact, influenced national planning policy and inspired those who work with them. Out of over 160 nominations made, 44 women were included in this year's list across academia, law, media and the private, public and third sectors.
Specialising in all aspects of planning advice, with a major focus on infrastructure in the energy sector, Vicki is one of four women to be featured in the law section, in recognition of her work in pushing forward net zero ambitions through the consenting of renewable energy projects:
- Vicki led on the Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas offshore windfarm projects for longstanding client Vattenfall, which enable around 4GW of offshore wind power to be built, securing supply for more than 4 million UK households and saving over six million tonnes of CO2 emissions. The Norfolk Projects have helped to unblock some of the most difficult challenges facing the offshore wind industry to date
- She has also supported smaller projects and advised, including on a pro-bono basis, local community group Ambition Lawrence Weston on obtaining planning permission for a 4.2MW onshore wind turbine near Bristol. It is one of very few permissions to be granted in England since changes to planning for onshore wind were introduced and, at 150m, is believed to be the tallest onshore turbine consented in England. The project will bring direct benefits to the local community and is seen as a flagship initiative to empower other local communities to realise their own renewable energy ambitions.
Vicki is on the Council for the National Infrastructure Planning Association and is a member of Renewable UK's Offshore Consents and Licensing Group. One client described her as "a clear and calm thinker, who instils great confidence in clients and teams, and she has a great ability to identify issues of strategic importance whilst managing the detailed preparation of highly complex evidence". Another noted Vicki's "excellent working knowledge of current issues across the DCO sectors".
