Daniel Stedman Jones

Daniel's planning practice includes:

• policy-making
• applications; appeals
• hearings and inquiries
• enforcement.

Cases of note

• Wilkins v Secretary of State for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Ongoing)
• R (Bradbury) v Brecon Beacons National Park Authority [2025] EWCA Civ 489; [2025] 4 WLUK 284 – Daniel acted for the Appellant in one of the leading cases on the operation of s. 31 (2A) of the Senior Courts Act 1981.
• R (Pennine House Ltd) v Bradford MBC [2024] EWHC 608 (KB); [2024] 1 WLUK 561 – Daniel acted for the claimant in a challenge to a major transport infrastructure project in Bradford City Centre.
• R (Bradbury) v Brecon Beacons National Park Authority [2024] EWHC 1242 (Admin); [2024] 5 WLUK 663 – Daniel acted for the claimant in a challenge to the grant of permission for infrastructure associated with an intensive sheep farming operation in the National Park.
• Noble v Cornwall Council [2022] EWHC 2402 (Admin) - Daniel is acting for the claimant in a challenge to a mixed-use development on the West Penwith Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Cornish Heritage Coast.
• HHRC v Hackney LBC [2021] EWHC 2440 (Admin) - Daniel acted for the claimant in one of the leading cases on the strategic dimensions of low-traffic neighbourhoods.
• Smolas v Herefordshire Council [2021] PTSR 1896; [2022] JPL 402 - Daniel acted for the claimant in the leading case (along with Marshall below) on prior approval for agricultural buildings.
• Smith v Castle Point BC [2021] Env. L.R.; [2019] Env L.R. 18 - Daniel acted for the respondent local planning authority in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in the leading case on the interaction of the contaminated land regime with the planning system.
• Oval Estates v BANES [2020] PTSR 861; [2020] JPL 1092 - Daniel acted for the defendant collecting authority in the leading case on phased planning permissions and remedies in the CIL regime. 
• Wavendon Properties v SSCLG [2019] PTSR 2077; [2019] JPL 1486 - Daniel acted for the local planning authority in one of the leading cases on the meaning of paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
• Marshall v East Dorset DC [2018] PTSR 1508; [2018] 2 P&CR  - Daniel acted for the claimant in one of the leading cases on the prior approval regime for agricultural buildings.

Daniel regularly acts for promoters, developers, local planning authorities and interested parties in relation to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), Development Consent Orders and Welsh Developments of National Significance.

Cases of note

• CCS/BESS – Daniel is advising on a NSIP CCS/BESS application.
• OFGEM RHI – Daniel is advising on multiple Ofgem RHI disputes including two multi-million pound disputes surrounding accreditation.
• Offshore Wind (2024-2025) – Daniel has been acting for the Carbon Trust in its multi-stakeholder project concerning the future of the Offshore Wind and fishing sectors in UK waters.
• Finch/Jackdaw/Rosebank [2024] – Daniel has been acting in disputes concerning the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision in Finch.
• Elwy Solar Farm - Daniel acted for the promoter of the Elwy Solar Farm in North Wales, which seeks to provide >50MW per annum in solar power. A decision from the Welsh Ministers is expected soon.
• Western Rail Link to Heathrow - Daniel acted for the main affected authority, Buckinghamshire Council.
• Larkfleet Solar Farm - Daniel acted on behalf of a claimant in judicial review proceedings in respect of a decision by Ofgem to remove the accreditation of an NSIP solar farm under the Renewables Obligation (RO).
• BACI v Environment Agency [2020] Env. L.R. 16 - Daniel acted for the claimant/appellant in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in a challenge to an NSIP incinerator in Bedfordshire.
• Lake Lothing DCO [2019-2020] - Daniel acted for an interested party (an affected local business) at the DCO hearings.

Daniel regularly acts for developers, promoters, local planning/highways authorities, applicants and objectors in all types of Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990)/Highways Act 1980 (HA 1980)/Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA 1981) highways, rights of way and non-statutory town or village green inquiries. He has acted as a TVG inspector. Recent cases include:

Cases of note

• DMMO (Milton Keynes) [Ongoing] - Daniel is acting for the Order-Making Authority in a DMMO application and appeal for a bridleway. Map Modification Order (DMMO) inquiry for a claimed footpath in Kent.
• Wilkins v Secretary of State (Ongoing) – Daniel is acting for the claimants in a leading case on the width of a highway.
• Coldblow - Daniel acted for a landowner objector in a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) inquiry for a claimed footpath in Kent.
• Little Chalfont - Daniel is acted for the order-making authority in a DMMO inquiry for a claimed footpath in Buckinghamshire.
• Alfreton - Daniel is acted for the order-making authority in s119 HA 1980 diversion inquiry in Derbyshire.
• Eversley [2021-2022] - Daniel acted for the promoting developer in a s257 TCPA 1990 diversion appeal in Hampshire.
• Fynings Copse [2021] - Daniel acted for the landowner objector in a DMMO inquiry in West Sussex.
• Newby Wiske [2020] - Daniel acted for the landowner objector in a DMMO appeal in Yorkshire.
• Blenheim TVG [2020] - Daniel acted as inspector in non-statutory proceedings to determine a TVG application in Oxfordshire.

Daniel is an expert in environmental law. Daniel undertakes a significant amount of work involving renewable energy (including major onshore and offshore wind and solar power installations), critical issues around climate change, water and air quality and the full range of major judicial reviews in the planning and administrative courts. He regularly acts in the senior courts all the way up to the Supreme Court and at public inquiries. Daniel is the joint editor of Sweet & Maxwell's Planning Law Practice and Precedents, which covers environmental law.

Daniel has acted in some of the most important environmental cases of recent years, including:

Cases of note

• Finch/Jackdaw/Rosebank [2024] – Daniel has been acting in disputes concerning the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision in Finch.
• 2024 – A high-value (£6million) Judicial Review concerning the DfT’s Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates
• R (Pennine House Ltd) v Bradford MBC [2024] EWHC 608 (KB); [2024] 1 WLUK 561 – Daniel acted for the claimant in this successful challenge to the LPA’s EIA screening decision for a major inner-city transport infrastructure project.
• Fletcher v Herefordshire [2022] - Daniel acted for the claimant in a successful challenge to prior approval for a silage clamp.
• HHRC v Hackney LBC [2021] EWHC 2440 (Admin) - Daniel acted for the claimant in one of the leading cases on the air quality and environmental implications of low-traffic neighbourhoods.
• Smith v Castlepoint BC [2021] Env. L.R. 20  - Daniel acted for the successful respondent in the leading case on the interaction of the contaminated land regime and the planning system.
• BACI v Environment Agency [2020] Env. L.R. 16  - Daniel acted for the appellant in the first challenge to an environmental permit (for a nationally significant infrastructure project incinerator in Bedfordshire) ever heard by the Court of Appeal.
• Manchester Ship Canal v Vauxhall Motors [2020] 2 All ER 81 - Daniel acted for Vauxhall Motors in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in this important case concerning water drainage rights and relief from forfeiture.

Daniel’s energy practice spans commercial energy disputes, energy regulation, licence conditions, renewables (including the renewables heat incentive, Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) and the renewables obligation), infrastructure and the planning process (including DCOs), and Ofgem enforcement/energy investigations. Daniel regularly acts for energy companies, developers and commercial entities in energy matters. He was previously seconded at Ofgem (2014) and has worked on some of the most significant recent energy cases, including NPower Direct Ltd v Gas and Electricity Markets Authority [2019] A.C.D. 35, R. (on the application of UK Power Networks Services (Contracting) Ltd) v Gas and Electricity Markets Authority [2015] A.C.D. 28 and the first ever Ofgem Enforcement Decision Panel (EDP) hearing (2018). 

Cases of note

• Elwy Solar Farm DNS [Ongoing] - Daniel acts on behalf of the promoter of this DNS solar farm in North Wales, which will provide >50MW in solar power per annum.
• OFGEM Investigation into United Gas and Power [Ongoing] -  Daniel acts for the energy supplier, UGP, which is under investigation by Ofgem.
• £30 Million Solar Farm (2021) - Daniel acts in respect of a commercial contractual dispute arising from a high-value renewable energy solar farm installation.
• NPower Direct Ltd v Gas and Electricity Markets Authority [2019] A.C.D. 35 - Daniel acted for Npower in this challenge to an Ofgem direction to inform 100,000 of its customers as part of a trial to improve customer engagement.
• OFGEM Investigation into Npower [2018-2019] - Daniel acted for Npower in an enforcement investigation by Ofgem, including before the first ever enforcement.