Philippa Jackson

Philippa is recommended as a leading planning junior and undertakes a wide range of planning work, including public inquiries, public examinations into development plan documents, and challenges in the High Court and above. She acts for developers, local authorities, private individuals and action groups. She has experience of advising and acting in relation to large-scale housing developments, cases involving significant heritage assets, national infrastructure and energy projects (including airports, marinas, highways schemes, solar farms and other renewable developments) and planning disputes outside the jurisdiction.

Examples of significant cases and inquiries include:

• Tunbridge Wells Local Plan: Acted on behalf of the Hadlow Estate promoting Tudeley Village, a new Garden Settlement for 2,100 dwellings in the Green Belt, at the Stage 3 Local Plan examination hearings. 
• 51-53 Bow Road: Acted on behalf of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets at a 6 day inquiry, resisting an appeal by Clarion Housing for a 7/9 storey affordable housing scheme within a Conservation Area.
• R (Swire) v Canterbury City Council [2022] EWHC 390 (Admin) Acted (with Andrew Tabachnik KC) in successfully resisting a series of judicial review challenges to a new residential development of 400 homes outside Canterbury. 
• Stansted Airport expansion: Acted (with Thomas Hill KC) for Manchester Airports Group at the high profile, seven-week inquiry into Uttlesford DC’s refusal of permission for Stansted’s application to increase capacity and for associated infrastructure. The called in appeal was allowed with a full award of costs against the Local Planning Authority. A subsequent judicial review by Uttlesford DC was also dismissed. 
• R (Brian Ross and Peter Sanders on behalf of Stop Stansted Expansion) v Secretary of State for Transport & Ors [2020] EWHC 226 (Admin) Successfully acted (with Thomas Hill KC) on behalf of Manchester Airports Group in opposing a judicial review of its application for planning permission to increase capacity at Stansted Airport and for associated infrastructure
• Gluck v Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government [2020] EWCA Civ 1756 Acted (sole Counsel) for the Claimant / Appellant in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in this important case concerning the interpretation of the prior approval provisions under the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
• Meisels v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2019] EWHC 1987 (Admin) Acted (sole Counsel) for the Claimant in s289 proceedings concerning an enforcement notice issued in relation to the redevelopment of a Hackney synagogue. 
• Hallam Land Management v SSCLG and Eastleigh Borough Council [2018] EWCA Civ 1808: Acted (with Thomas Hill QC) for Hallam Land in both the High Court and Court of Appeal in section 288 proceedings challenging a Secretary of State decision to refuse permission for a substantial residential-led development in Eastleigh.
• New Providence Development Ltd v Windsor Field Development Ltd & Anor: Instructed (with Andrew Tabachnik KC) in proceedings in the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas challenging the construction of a new retail centre.
• R. (on the application of Hollings) v Bath and North East Somerset Council [2018] 5 WLUK 375 Acted (sole Counsel) for the Local Planning Authority in judicial review proceedings challenging the grant of planning permission and listed building consent for development within the Bath World Heritage Site on heritage and other grounds.
• R. (on the application of Marshall) v East Dorset DC [2018] 2 P. & C.R. 2: Acted (sole Counsel) for the Local Planning Authority in judicial review proceedings concerning the interpretation of Class A of the GDPO, the prior approval process and the correct approach to the consideration of heritage assets in such applications
• R (Dignity Funerals Ltd) v Breckland DC [2017] EWHC 1492 (Admin) Acted (with James Strachan KC) for the Claimant in challenging the grant of planning permission for a rival crematorium.
• Old Fort Bay Property Owners Association v Old Fort Bay Company Ltd: Acting (with Andrew Tabachnik KC) in relation to a long-running legal challenge to the extension of a marina in the Bahamas (2015-ongoing) in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas. The challenge raises environmental, planning, property and commercial issues.

Philippa also has considerable expertise in environmental law and is recommended as a leading junior in this area. She has been instructed in numerous high profile environmental cases in recent years, including in relation to climate change impacts, water and air quality and pollution, and protected species and habitats. She also has experience of acting in the criminal courts in relation to environmental prosecutions.

Philippa is a contributing author to The Law of Net Zero and Nature Positive, the first comprehensive overview of net zero and nature-positive law in England and Wales.

Recent cases of note include:

• Land at Woodlands Farm, Stowmarket Road, Badley: Acted on behalf of the Appellant, Elgin Energy, in securing planning permission on appeal for a new 47MWp solar farm, following a four-day public inquiry.
• R (Wild Justice) v Natural England & Ors: Instructed (with David Wolfe KC) by Wild Justice in relation to a proposed judicial review of the lawfulness of the River Wye SAC Nutrient Management Plan.
• Uttlesford District Council v Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government Acted (with Thomas Hill KC) on behalf of Manchester Airports Group in successfully resisting a judicial review challenge to the grant of permission for Stansted airport’s expansion on climate change and other grounds 
• R (Saunders) v Powys CC : Acted on behalf of the Claimant in this widely reported legal challenge, securing the quashing of planning permission for a large-scale intensive poultry farm in Powys
• R (Hewitt) v Oldham MBC [2020] EWHC 3405 (Admin) Acted for the Claimant in this judicial review challenge to the grant of planning permission for 265 dwellings and a new link road on climate change and other grounds.
• Simmonds v Town Planning Committee: Instructed (with Andrew Tabachnik KC) by campaigners in relation to a judicial review of the grant of permission for a yacht marina and hotel on Harbour Island in the Bahamas [2019].
• R. (on the application of ClientEarth) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2017] EWHC 1618 (Admin): Acted for the Mayor of London (sole Counsel) in relation to Client Earth's high profile challenge to the Government's attempts to delay publication of its Air Quality Plan