Howes Percival has been ranked ninth in Planning Magazine’s 2021 Planning Law Survey. The prestigious survey of the UK’s leading planning law firms and barristers also places Howes Percival’s Jay Mehta as the sixth highest rated planning solicitor in the UK.
The Planning Law Survey is an in-depth report highlighting the solicitors, law firms and barristers that are considered the leading planning law specialists in the UK. The results of the survey are based on responses from consultants, developers and local authorities that were asked to identify individuals and firms they regard as exemplifying best practice in planning law.
Howes Percival, which has offices across East Anglia and the East Midlands, has seen its ranking rise dramatically over the last two years. Its 2021 ninth place ranking is a rise of 7 places from its 2020 position at sixteenth and, 21 places from its 2019 position at thirtieth.
The team act for major housebuilders, land promoters, developers and local authorities and in the past year work includes advising Breckland District Council on a planning application for a 4,000 dwelling mixed use urban extension in Norfolk; advising Turnstone Estates on two £50 million leisure developments in Colchester and Southend respectively; advising Code Students in relation to a 40 storey student scheme which will be the tallest building in Nottingham and probably the East Midlands and acting for Hampton Brook in relation to a two million square foot strategic employment site to the south of Milton Keynes, with planning permission secured following a public inquiry.
Paul Wootton, Partner and Head of Howes Percival’s Planning Team, commented,
“We are delighted to be recognised as one of the top 10 planning law firms in the UK. London-based firms usually dominate the Planning Law Survey – so we’re punching well above our weight. The fact that the rankings are based on peer-led interviews and feedback makes our ninth place ranking especially pleasing. We are also thrilled that Jay’s skills and expertise have been acknowledged with his ranking as one of the UK’s highest rated planning solicitors.
“The commercial property sector is at the heart of Howes Percival’s business strategy. Over the last few years, we’ve expanded our offering, recruiting senior level experts to ensure we have the specialisms and depth of expertise to service the planning law requirements of our clients and, to attract high-quality work. We now have specialist Planning Partners in our Leicester and Norwich offices, servicing all of our client needs across the East Midlands, East Anglia and beyond.
“The rankings are testament to the tremendous amount of hard work the team puts in, their breadth and depth of knowledge, as well as the fantastic clients we have.”
Paul Wootton continued,
“Working as a single, cohesive team, we offer developers a comprehensive ‘cradle to grave’ commercial property proposition. As well as securing repeat work from existing clients, we receive many referrals from planning consultants because of the strength of our profile and reputation in the market. Despite the upheaval caused by the pandemic, workloads have held-up well during the last year. We made sure our clients knew that we were here to support them and embraced new ways of working smarter and closer with clients.”
Howes Percival’s property experts act for major housebuilders, retailers, construction companies, landowners, housing associations, developers, and public authorities as well as private individuals and businesses. The firm’s comprehensive commercial property service covers planning and environmental law, minerals and waste, compulsory purchase, village greens, development including strategic land acquisitions, the management of real estate portfolios, property finance, leases and other landlord and tenant matters, property litigation and construction contracts and disputes.
Howes Percival is ranked as a top-tier firm for Planning and Environment in the UK’s leading guide to law firms, the Legal 500.
For more information on Howes Percival’s planning team visit: https://www.howespercival.com/services/planning/
