Lorrae has extensive experience in the UK advising clients in relation to contentious, transactional and advisory planning and environmental matters from within the public and private sectors in the UK. Prior to that Lorrae, who is also qualified in Australia, worked on a number of contentious planning and environmental matters for developer and local authority clients in Brisbane, Australia.

Lorrae has in-depth expertise in advising clients on the promotion of infrastructure projects with a particular focus on the transport sector. Lorrae also advises clients on a range of other matters including planning and environmental liabilities during real estate transactions, compulsory acquisition, complex section 106 agreements and highway agreements. 

Experience

Examples of experience include advising:

  • North Somerset Council - on its development consent order application for the Portishead Branch Line (MetroWest Phase 1) Order.
  • Highways England – on its development consent order applications for the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Order and the A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme.
  • North London Waste Authority- on their application for a development consent order (DCO) seeking consent for an energy from waste facility in North London, including advice throughout the pre-application, application, examination and implementation processes. Work also included advising on the compulsory acquisition elements of the project, draft notices required under the 2008 Act and subsequent amendments to the DCO. The DCO was granted in February 2017.
  • Royal College of Art – reviewing and advising on the planning application documents for the Royal College of Art who were applying for planning permission to redevelop its Battersea South Campus. Work included reviewing all documents to ensure the risk of judicial review was minimised and negotiating the section 106 agreement. Further work included strategic advice regarding subsequent amendments to the development. 
  • Blakes Hotel - reviewing and advising on the planning application documents seeking planning permission for a boutique hotel in Shoreditch, London. Work included reviewing all documents to ensure the risk of judicial review was minimised and negotiating the section 106 agreement. 
  • Inner Temple – work involved successfully defending an application for judicial review against the decision to grant planning permission for redevelopment works proposed to the Inner Temple Library.
  • conducting planning and environmental due diligence for various real estate investment funds including shopping centre, retail/industrial/distribution park and standalone key property acquisitions.
  • negotiating and completing complex section 106 agreements and highways agreements and advising on ad hoc planning and compulsory acquisition enquiries for various developer clients.
  • advising institutional property funds on the planning aspects during the acquisition of a large shopping complex in west London including issues relating to highways, use classes and common land.

"combines excellent planning advice with environment, assisting lateral thinking in cases."

The Legal 500 UK, 2018

"specialises in complex statutory agreements, planning law risks and environmental liabilities"

The Legal 500 UK, 2018