six pump court

27 Feb 2017

Examining Local Plan Reasons and Inspectors’ Guidelines

William Upton discusses the Planning Court’s recent judgment on the approach taken by the Inspectors’ guidelines when reporting on the soundness of development plans in a recent article for the Local Government Lawyer. The case, Cooper Estates Strategic Land Limited v Royal Tunbridge Wells...

24 Feb 2017

Water company fined over £200,000 for sewage pollution in Cornwall

In a case brought by the Environment Agency, South West Water has been ordered to pay £205,000 in fines and costs for discharging sewage into the Fal Estuary in Cornwall, near shellfish beds within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The case was...

24 Feb 2017

Low Fine for Company on Plea of Guilty to a Breach of a Planning Enforcement Notice

Stuart Jessop represented a property company at its sentence hearing for an offence under section 179(1) (2) Town and Country Planning Act 1990, namely that it, as the owner of the property, failed to comply with an Enforcement Notice. The company avoided a Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of...

20 Feb 2017

John FitzGerald secures acquittal in gun running case

The defendant was a serving prisoner having been sentenced to an I.P.P. for attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The defendant was a senior member of Birmingham gang, the "Johnson Crew". The defendant was accused of being the top of a conspiracy to supply a...

14 Feb 2017

Local Plan Reasons

The Planning Court has upheld the approach taken by the Inspectors’ guidelines to using short form reasoning when reporting on the soundness of development plans. William Upton represented Tunbridge Wells Borough Council who were facing a challenge to the adoption of their Site Allocations Local...

13 Feb 2017

Data Privacy and Brexit

In an interview with Lexis PSL, Ian Whitehurst assesses the impact that the forthcoming Brexit negotiations will have on data protection issues in the UK. He outlines the options available to the UK and asks whether Brexit could prove an opportunity to loosen data protection standards and introduce...

13 Feb 2017

Local Authority withdraw prosecution in HMO licensing case

Stuart Jessop represented a Landlord/ Managing Agent summonsed in a Local Authority prosecution against him for alleged breaches of his House in Multiple Occupation ( HMO) Licence. There had already been connected proceedings under section 179(1) and (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990...

13 Feb 2017

Low Fine for Breach of Planning Enforcement

On 10th February 2017 Stuart Jessop represented a landlord who faced a Local Authority prosecution for a breach of a planning enforcement notice under section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The breach occurred over a four year period and rent had been received over the entire...

10 Feb 2017

LBLA Training – An Introduction to Planning Law

On Tuesday 14th February, members of Six Pump Court’s Planning team will present a seminar to London Authority delegates entitled “A General Introduction to Planning Law”. The session is being hosted by Six Pump Court as part of our ongoing relationship with the London Boroughs Legal Alliance...

06 Feb 2017

Six Pump Court joins Pro Bono Connect

Members of Six Pump Court have joined the Pro Bono Connect scheme. The scheme aims to establish a network of barristers and solicitors willing to work together on pro bono cases in civil matters for individuals, charities and community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal advice/representation...

30 Jan 2017

Sentence Increased in Gross Negligence Manslaughter Prosecution Prosecuted by Oliver Saxby QC

The Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of 3 years that had been imposed on Jasmine Gregory, whose baby daughter had drowned in a bath at their home. Miss Gregory had been convicted of her child’s manslaughter by gross negligence at a trial in October - she had left the baby unattended...

27 Jan 2017

Gross Negligence Manslaughter Case: Simon Taylor Prosecutes, Oliver Saxby QC and Peter Alcock Defend

Sentence took place on Thursday in the case of Michael Bowditch, a 21 year old man charged in connection with the death of a 17 year old, Becky Morgan. Simon Taylor was instructed by CPS SECCU. Oliver Saxby QC and Peter Alcock were instructed by Tuckers Solicitors. Miss Morgan and Mr Bowditch...

23 Jan 2017

Is a new Environmental Protection Act on the horizon?

In an interview for LexisPSL, Frances Lawson discusses the issues surrounding the future of the natural environment after Brexit and whether a new Environmental Protection Act may be on the horizon. She examines the first of a series of reports carried out by the Environmental Audit Committee on...

20 Jan 2017

Ian Whitehurst appointed Disclosure Counsel by the SFO

Ian Whitehurst has been appointed as Disclosure Counsel by the Serious Fraud Office in a high profile and complex major case. Ian was appointed in December and the case is ongoing.  

20 Jan 2017

Old Bailey Jury Recommend Leniency

A jury today returned a verdict of guilty in the trial of a young man charged with the killing of an acquaintance outside a party in East London last year. Oliver Saxby QC was defending, leading Sara Haroon of Bond Joseph Solicitors. The incident was captured on CCTV and the jury rejected the...

17 Jan 2017

Planning permission granted for major residential development in Surrey

Anne Williams advised Kitewood Investments Ltd from the outset and for over a year and a half on the preparation of a major residential planning application at Dunsfold, Surrey and an accompanying application for the removal of land under the Commons Act 2006. Waverley Borough Council...

16 Jan 2017

David Travers QC acts for major retailer Wilko following serious injury to employee

The major high street retailer Wilko Retail Ltd has been fined over £2m in the latest prosecution under the Sentencing Guidelines. David Travers QC acted for Wilko which is a “very large organization” within the meaning of the guideline. The retailer pleaded guilty at the first opportunity...

12 Jan 2017

Oliver Saxby QC commences Old Bailey Murder Trial

The trial of a young man accused of the murder of a friend began on Monday of this week. Oliver Saxby QC is for the defence, leading Sara Haroon of Bond Joseph Solicitors. The incident occurred outside a party in East London and was at least in part captured on CCTV. The defendant is alleged to...

10 Jan 2017

Network Rail fined £800,000 in prosecution brought by ORR

Network Rail has today been fined £800,000 in a prosecution brought by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) following a serious incident on the railway at Redhill, Surrey two and a half years ago. The company was fined for breaching health and safety laws after a track worker sustained multiple...

09 Jan 2017

Planning & Regeneration Conference – 20 January

Ed Grant and Emmaline Lambert will speak at the forthcoming Lawyers in Local Government Planning & Regeneration Conference this month, hosted by Eversheds.

21 Dec 2016

Water company receives record £2m fine for polluting Kent beaches

Southern Water received a record fine of £2 million on 19th December, following a plea of guilty to a single count of causing or knowingly permitting an unauthorised water discharge activity in 2012. Richard Banwell prosecuted the company on behalf of the Environment Agency at Maidstone Crown...

09 Dec 2016

Important ruling for almshouse charities and residents

The Court of Appeal today handed down judgment in Watts v Stewart & ors [2016] EWCA Civ 1247 which will be of fundamental importance to the 1,700 almshouse charities and the 35,000 almshouse residents in the UK. In a wide-ranging and important decision the Master of the Rolls found that in...

02 Dec 2016

Stuart Jessop helps residents oppose new premises licence for restaurant

Stuart Jessop has assisted a group of residents with their representations and objections in relation to a new application for a premises licence in a Cumulative Impact Zone. The Licensing sub-committed heard representation from these residents and from two Responsible Authorities and refused the...

02 Dec 2016

Housing Growth and the Environment

The tensions inherent in giving housing delivery priority in the planning system have been discussed by William Upton in the latest edition of UKELA’s e-law journal. This follows on from his speech to the TCPA Annual Conference on 24th November, and the joint UKELA/PEBA seminar on 6th October...

01 Dec 2016

Stuart Jessop secures conditional discharge for breach of enforcement notice

Stuart Jessop has secured a conditional discharge for a defendant facing a charge of failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice contrary to section 179(2) Town and Country Planning Act 1990, brought by the London Borough of Newham. Although the breach was committed over two years...