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Overview
“ ‘Excellent, friendly’ Six Pump Court provides ‘first rate’ advice on a range of planning matters, with criminal and regulatory expertise to complement its strengths in planning.” – Legal 2022
The breadth of Chambers’ areas of specialism, including our highly successful (and ranked) Regulatory and Environmental teams, provides our clients with a depth of talent and experience within Chambers that distinguishes Six Pump Court from other sets planning sets in London.
Our planning law barristers appear regularly in the full range of courts and tribunals engaged in planning law, including inquiries and hearings into planning applications and appeals, enforcement appeals and the examination of local plans, CIL charging schedules and neighbourhood plans. We also appear at inquiries and hearings into proposed compulsory purchase orders, development consents, village greens and other statutory orders concerning highways and Public Rights of Way
Six Pump Court is also recognised for its experience and expertise in related areas of public law and civil litigation, appearing regularly in the Senior Courts at first instance and on appeal. Our planning law barristers have considerable experience of cases involving judicial review and statutory challenges in the Planning Court; appeals by way of case stated in the Divisional Court; and claims for planning injunctions in the Interim Applications Court in the King’s Bench Division.
Our planning law barristers are instructed by a diverse range of public, private and third sector clients. We act for a large number of local authorities across the country, government departments and other statutory bodies engaged in planning matters, undertaking a diverse mix of plan-making, decision-taking and enforcement work. Our members also act for a wide variety of developers, businesses and individuals, assisting them to navigate the complexities and uncertainties of the regime of planning control and enforcement in pursuit of realistic and effective outcomes.
Many of our members are recommended as specialist planning barristers in the Chambers UK Bar Guide and Legal 500.
Testimonials
"Six Pump Court provides a ‘personal standard of care’ and hosts ‘excellent advocates at all levels’ who advise on a full spectrum of planning matters, complemented by additional regulatory and criminal expertise."
"Six Pump Court has a real strength and depth of quality counsel for planning and public law matters, from top silks to new pupils, there are excellent advocates at all levels."
― Legal 500 [2023]
“ ‘Excellent, friendly’ Six Pump Court provides ‘first rate’ advice on a range of planning matters, with criminal and regulatory expertise to complement its strengths in planning.”
― Legal 500 [2022]
"The degree of professionalism and expertise at Six Pump Court is impressive."
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2022]
“Six Pump Court is well regarded for planning work in both advisory and litigation contexts, with an affinity for matters that overlap with related disciplines such as regulatory and environmental law.”
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2021]
"Six Pump Court provides high-quality advice and advocacy in a range of planning matters. Its barristers are frequently instructed by local authorities to act in planning enforcement cases and residential development matters. "
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2020]
“The set’s potent public sector expertise is augmented by its considerable experience of acting on behalf of private clients on a host of matters, including enforcement actions, appeals and judicial reviews.”
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2018]
“Six Pump Court has ‘always been a go-to set for planning matters, with an excellent range of barristers who are ready to help and go beyond the call of duty’. The set was reappointed to the London Boroughs Legal Alliance (LBLA) panel for planning, and members also act for private clients such as landowners, developers and infrastructure providers.”
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2017]
“The set remains a top choice for local authorities requiring representation in appeals and inquiries, particularly in regard to planning enforcement, local plans and community infrastructure levy matters. This expertise is demonstrated by the set’s appointment to the London Boroughs’ Legal Alliance.”
― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2016]
Latest news
22nd June 2026
No planning merits assessment, no problem – High Court
In R (Connors) v Bromley Borough Council [2026] EWHC 1517 (Admin)) Fordham J. held a local planning authority (“LPA”) was entitled to use the...
18th June 2026
Róisín Finnegan is successful in Planning Enforcement Inquiry
Róisín Finnegan was instructed by Basildon Borough Council. The appeals were brought against four enforcement notices issued by the Council and proceeded under section...
13th May 2026
Anne Williams recognised in The Planner’s Women of Influence 2026 list
Six Pump Court is delighted to announce that Anne Williams has been recognised in Planning magazine’s 2026 Women of Influence list, published by the...
13th May 2026
Development of National Significance – Rush Wall Solar Farm
Dr Michael J. Bowes appears on behalf of Gwent Wildlife Trust in relation to the proposed Rush Wall Solar Farm Development of National Significance...
24th April 2026
BBC News Front Page “We paid our builder £44k – then he had us arrested”
Peter Cruickshank was instructed by Basildon Borough Council in the prosecution of Mr Steve Figg for numerous offences under the Building Act 1984, relating...
17th March 2026
Titchfield Festival Theatre Ltd v. Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – Successful in the Court of Appeal
Megan Thomas KC successfully represented the Theatre who had expanded their premises into an adjoining building without planning permission and had lost an Enforcement...
24th February 2026
Peter Cruickshank represents Canterbury City Council in significant planning appeal for 300 homes
An application for planning permission was made by Gladman Developments for 300 homes in the village of Littlebourne near Canterbury. There was considerable local...
3rd November 2025
Angelica Rokad Successfully Defends for Local Authority in Planning Enforcement Appeal
Hackney Council, represented by Angelica Rokad, successfully defends planning enforcement appeal made by school, with Inspector rejecting concerns that local plan policy was ‘out...
30th October 2025
Six Pump Court barristers deliver training to local authority planning committee
William Upton KC and Anne Williams delivered a training session to the councillors and legal officers of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea...
22nd October 2025
Development of National Significance – Success | Dr Michael Bowes & Megan Thomas KC
The Welsh Ministers have upheld Inspector Melissa Hall’s recommendation and refused RWE Renewables UK’s Development of National Significance (DNS) application (Ref: DNS/3279787) for a...
16th September 2025
Peter Cruickshank represented the London Borough of Bromley in a two-week planning inquiry in August.
A scaffolding company were using a parcel of land to store and distribute scaffolding poles and equipment across south London. The land was next...
25th July 2025
Giles Atkinson successfully represents the City Council in resisting a challenge to the Council’s decision to grant planning permission
R (Moakes) v Canterbury CC and Others [2025] EWCA Civ 927. Giles represented the City Council in the CA, successfully resisting a challenge to the...
20th June 2025
Six Pump Court is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted at Legal 500 Bar Awards.
Six Pump Court is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted for three nominations at the upcoming Legal 500 Bar Awards. 🔹Stephen Hockman KC...
2nd October 2024
The Legal 500 UK Bar Guide 2025 rankings
The Legal 500 2025 rankings have been released, and we’re proud to share Chamber’s rankings across multiple practice areas, and the individual members recognised...
10th July 2024
Anne Williams and Peter Cruickshank start two-week planning inquiry
Anne Williams and Peter Cruickshank are starting a two-week planning inquiry instructed by Bromley London Borough Council next week on 16 July 2024. Bromley...
16th February 2024
Giles Atkinson was successful in resisting an appeal against non-determination of application for a large care home
Giles was successful in resisting an appeal against non-determination of application for 150 houses and a 50-bed Care Home in the Metropolitan Green Belt,...
16th February 2024
Megan Thomas Wins Second Appeal Against Extra Care Facility
Megan Thomas KC has won a second appeal against a proposed 89 Unit Extra Care Facility in Loughton, Essex. She acted for Epping Forest...
7th December 2023
A Practical Guide to Habitats Law in Planning and Permitting in England by Brendon Moorhouse
Brendon Moorhouse is one of chambers' leading environmental and planning barristers. He is regularly instructed in habitat and wildlife related matters and is frequently instructed in high profile permitting and planning related cases. He is a contributing author to Garner’s Environmental Law. A visiting research fellow and external member of the University of West of England’s environmental law faculty, he is also a trustee and member of the global advisory panel of the Conservation Collective charity.
25th October 2023
Anne Williams and Peter Cruickshank successfully represented the London Borough of Hackney in significant planning appeal
Lamb Lane Partnership Limited sought permission to demolish an unkempt building in central Hackney in a conservation area. They sought to replace it with a mixed-use scheme, with workspaces in the basement and ground floor levels, and residential units above.
5th September 2023
Richard Barraclough KC and Mark Davies acted for the applicants in their application for an interim injunction
Richard Barraclough KC and Mark Davies acted for the applicants in their application for an interim injunction. Megan Thomas KC advised on the planning...
Our planning team
