Insights & News

Lewis Silkin wins Real Estate Team of the Year Award 2020

Press Release

06 November 2020

Lewis Silkin has won the accolade of Real Estate Team of the Year award at The Lawyer Awards 2020 for their work on Earl’s Court Regeneration.

Overview of planning changes 2020 (England only)

Inbrief

05 October 2020

There have been a number of changes to permitted development rights (PDRs) during the Covid-19 pandemic and there are further significant reforms in the pipeline.

FAQS on Covid-19 planning reforms

14 August 2020

Just before the pandemic outbreak, the Government issued the trailer ‘Planning for the Future’ announcing various proposed reforms to the planning system. This was to be followed by a White Paper in the spring but following lock-down the Paper was postponed. Instead, the Government concentrated on emergency measures to alleviate the crisis. As lock down eased, Boris Johnson launched ‘Project Speed’ aimed at getting Britain building again including a radical reform of the planning system. This has resulted in a flurry of legislation with more to come.

Lewis Silkin heads legal think tank on planning changes

Press Release

17 June 2020

Following the COVID19 outbreak, The Law Society wrote to the Minister of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) with a list of proposed recommendations to assist with planning during the coronavirus pandemic.

How legal changes can keep planning and development open during the coronavirus epidemic: Sara Hanrahan writes for The Planner

Press

24 April 2020

The Law Society has requested a slew of changes to the English planning system to enable planning and development to continue during the coronavirus epidemic and the post-lockdown period, as Sara Hanrahan explains in this article for The Planner.

The Law Society calls for urgent planning fixes: Sara Hanrahan writes for Estates Gazette

Press

21 April 2020

The planning committee for the City of London and the wider national planning committee joined forces to consider the legislative changes introduced since the outbreak of Covid-19. Sara Hanrahan, our Head of Planning discusses the current legislation and how it could provide the building blocks for the future.

Covid-19 – Legislation now passed for new PD rights

25 March 2020

The Government is responding quickly to the current crisis with new legislation. On the 21 March, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) (England) Regulations 2020 were issued requiring the immediate closure of businesses selling food or drink for consumption on the premises including all restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs.

COVID-19 and tech solutions for planning

24 March 2020

The industry appears to be split about the use of technology in the decision making process. Last week, the Planning Inspectorate issued guidance that confirmed all site visits would be cancelled and two local plan examinations due to take place were postponed.

Government urged to relax planning regulations

23 March 2020

The RTPI, RICS and RIBA have written to the Prime Minister offering to assist “in this time of national emergency" and "seek Government support for the UK’s construction and infrastructure sectors which are worth over £100 billion to the UK economy".

Lewis Silkin bolsters Real Estate team with new partner hire

Press Release

06 January 2020

Firm appoints Sara Hanrahan as planning partner.

More than just a stadium…

18 September 2019

However it’s done, whether being rebuilt from scratch (Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Arsenal), expanded (Liverpool) or converted from other uses (West Ham, Manchester City), one thing for certain is that football stadiums are big business. In this article, we explore some of the current projects and highlight some of the hot topics surrounding these cathedrals of the national game.

Smart Floorspace Digitalising Retail Experience

10 September 2019

Media coverage over the last year for the retail sector has been saturated with reports about the decline of the nation’s high streets.

Section 106 Agreements - a note for anyone developing land

Inbrief

18 January 2019

When granting planning permission for development, local planning authorities often impose planning obligations on the party promoting the development. These obligations are usually contained in what are known as Section 106 Agreements or Planning Agreements – separate legal agreements that sit alongside the planning permission. Those agreements will, generally, bind the land to which the planning permission relates – so anyone who owns that land will be bound by the obligations.

Dougal Ainsley writes for The Planner: Lewis Silkin and the birth of the modern planning system

Press

27 July 2018

In an article for The Planner, Dougal Ainsley reflects on the impact of the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act steered through Parliament by the firms founder, the planning minister Lewis Silkin.

Lewis Silkin delighted to be associated with long standing client Sager House (Almeida) Limited

Deal

20 June 2017

Lewis Silkin is delighted to be associated with long standing client Sager House (Almeida) Limited (a joint venture between the Sager Group of companies and US investment fund Cain Hoy) in providing legal services for the delivery of a major mixed use development of the former North London Post Sorting Office off Upper Street, Islington.

When councils can charge planning agreement fees and when they cannot

Press

03 June 2015

We have written an article for Waste Planning magazine on the requirements for planning applications for waste related schemes.

Neighbourhood development plans give communities a greater say

Press

07 April 2015

We have written an article for Waste Planning magazine.

Planning policy shift raises barrier to building waste facilities in green belt

Press

09 February 2015

We have written an article for Waste Planning Magazine.

Government policy on deemed discharge is sensitive to protection and control

Press

29 January 2015

We have written an article for Waste Planning Magazine.