Cornerstone Barristers

At the request of the Local Government Association's Joint Inspection Team, Ranjit Bhose KC and Shomik Datta will tomorrow be presenting to around 200 LGA members at their headquarters at Smith Square, Westminster. Their seminar will cover:  • The use of enforcement procedures under the Housing Act 2004 (such as Improvement Notices) to achieve the remedy of cladding and fire safety defects in High Rise Residential Buildings. • Best practice in collation of information and decision-making in relation to these enforcement processes (including consideration of other remedies available under the Building Safety Act 2022). • Appeals to the First-tier Tribunal against enforcement processes under the Housing Act 2004. Ranjit and Shomik are leading specialists in the law of property, and both have specific expertise in the remediation of building defects following BSA 2022. Each is regularly asked to advise or represent local authorities, developers and building owners, in this regard. Ranjit Bhose KC is a highly regarded silk with particular specialisms in local government, public law and judicial review, property, housing, licensing, and commercial law. Learn more about Ranjit here: https://lnkd.in/eUFzEjDq Shomik Datta is a busy property and commercial litigator with over two decades of experience, and a loyal following amongst London local authorities. Find out more about Shomik here: https://lnkd.in/eJ5ZDtYS

Today, the Court of Session in Scotland quashed the decisions of the UK Government and the North Sea Transition Authority to grant consent for the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields. The Environmental Impact Assessments were ruled unlawful for failing to consider the climate impact of combustion emissions, following the Supreme Court’s judgment in Finch. Three members of Cornerstone Climate were involved in these applications: David Welsh was instructed by Greenpeace in the challenges to both fields, James Findlay KC was instructed by Uplift to make the claim against the Rosebank field, and Ruchi Parekh provided assistance to Uplift during the EIA consultation stage. See more here: https://lnkd.in/eP3yX6XY

⚡The Clean Energy Sprint: A New Era for Onshore Renewables? ⚡ With the current government’s commitment to doubling onshore wind capacity by 2030 clear, Michael Bedford KC, Clare Parry and Jack Parker highlight key policy change challenges shaping the renewable energy sector. The article provides an in-depth exploration of the evolving landscape of renewable energy in the UK, focusing on: 💨 onshore wind ☀️ solar power 🔌 grid connectivity challenges The authors also consider regional disparities in energy production and the complexities of integrating renewable projects into the national grid. Read the paper in full here: https://lnkd.in/e7K2uVUR #OnshoreRenewables #Energy #RenewableEnergy

We are delighted to announce that Estelle Dehon KC has been named in The Lawyer 's prestigious Hot 100 list, celebrating her exceptional contributions to public law and environmental litigation. Estelle’s citation calls her “the Bar’s answer to David Attenborough”, which reflects her recent case highlights and her wider work, including founding Cornerstone Climate in 2023 and co-chairing the Bar Council’s Climate Crisis Working Group. To read more about her work, see our latest news story https://lnkd.in/eUgyyiHR Estelle's inclusion in The Lawyer's Hot 100 is a testament to her unwavering dedication to environmental justice and her impactful advocacy in public law. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to her on this well-deserved recognition. For more information on Estelle Dehon KC's work and expertise, please visit her profile on Cornerstone Barristers' website. https://lnkd.in/eUgyyiHR

2025 Case-Law Update 🏛️ The legal landscape is evolving rapidly. Stay ahead with this review of the latest judicial decisions in planning and environmental law.  ✔️ Key rulings from 2024 ✔️ Practical insights into their implications for planners, lawyers and policymakers Authors Ben Du Feu and Dr Alex Williams discuss cases heard in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the High Court, including R (Tesco Stores) v Reigate & Banstead BC; Mead Realisations v SSLUHC; Marks and Spencer Plc v SSLUHC; and Friends of the Earth v SSLUHC. 📖 Read the update here: https://lnkd.in/ebMnwu49 Learn more about Ben Du Feu’s specialisms as a planning practitioner here: https://lnkd.in/e2K82wpQ Discover more about Dr Alex Williams’s specialist planning practice here: https://lnkd.in/eidDRtqJ #PlanningLaw #EnvironmentalLaw #LegalUpdates #CaseLaw

This week, members of Cornerstone Barristers will be appearing in the Court of Appeal before The Senior President of Tribunals, Lord Justice Singh, and Lord Justice Holgate. The case, Frack Free Balcombe Residents Association (acting through Sue Taylor) v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (CA-2023-002107), concerns a challenge to a planning permission for a hydrocarbon development. Tom Cosgrove KC and Ben Du Feu will be representing the Secretary of State, while Ruchi Parekh will appear for the Appellant. The hearing will be live-streamed, offering an opportunity for those interested in the case to follow the proceedings in real-time.

Today Sam Fowles appears in the Supreme Court (led by Christopher Knight of 11 Kings Bench Walk) in a case likely to have a significant impact on freedom of information decisions. The case concerns whether public bodies can aggregate the different public interests in withholding information in order to add weight to the balance between disclosure and refusal. Sam acts for Brendan Montague, an investigative journalist, who asked the (then) Secretary of State for International Trade (now Secretary of State for Business and Trade) to disclose information relating to the UK's post-Brexit trade talks. The Secretary of State refused, and (acting unled) Sam succeeded in obtaining disclosure of some of the material in the First Tier Tribunal. However, the Tribunal withheld some of the information after aggregating the public interest in withholding the information. The Upper Tribunal subsequently held that such aggregation is not permitted. The Court of Appeal disagreed. The matter now falls to be determined by the Supreme Court.

Brighton & Hove City Council has successfully defended its decision to require a city centre pub to use an ID scanner. Brighton Magistrates’ Court dismissed the premises’ appeal against the licensing condition, concluding that: the ID scanner promoted the crime prevention licensing objective by capturing customer data, which could be used by the police to assist their investigations an ID scanner assists a well-managed team of door supervisors by providing an extra layer of deterrence to people whose behaviour might undermine the licensing objectives The court rejected the premises’ argument that the ID scanner condition was obsolete following a government announcement that it plans to legislate for official digital identity documents. In light of the court’s decision, Indigo Leisure has agreed to pay the Council’s costs of the appeal. 👉 Read more about the judgment here: https://lnkd.in/eh7fa-AQ Matt Lewin a member of Cornerstone Barristers’ Licensing Team, represented Brighton and Hove City Council, instructed by Rebecca Sidell. #LicensingLaw #LocalGovernment

Our former tenant and current Associate Member, Dr Christina Lienen, recently published a peer-reviewed article in a Q1 academic journal. The co-authored piece, written with Dr Samir Sweida-Metwally, titled "French Islamophobia: How Orthopraxy Is Conceptualized as a Public Peril," addresses issues of equality, discrimination, and minority rights, focusing on the challenges faced by Muslims in France over the past two decades. Written from an Islamic legal perspective, the paper analyses French legislation, policy and executive statements and argues that France's approach to Islam involves a two-step process of institutionalized Islamophobia. Firstly, the state redefines mainstream Islamic orthopraxy as "extreme," positioning ordinary religious practices against averred Republican values. Secondly, it promotes an alternative concept of "French Islam" that aligns with secular principles and strips the faith of its religious essence. This redefined version is presented as the only acceptable way for Muslims to practice their faith in France. The paper contends that this process is not about upholding laïcité or state neutrality, and provides a critical new perspective on the ongoing debate about religious freedom and secularism in France. Dr Lienen previously drafted submissions in an application to the European Court of Human Rights for a French lawyer who was banned from wearing the hijab in court. She is currently Assistant Professor of Public Law and Head of the Bachelor of Law programme at the British University in Dubai. The British University in Dubai. https://lnkd.in/e5Ywj6pN

Cornerstone Barristers is immensely proud to announce that Harriet Townsend will be appointed King’s Counsel. She will be sworn in during a ceremony on 24 March 2025. Called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 1992, Harriet is a leading practitioner in planning and environment law, and related public law and property matters (most notably compulsory purchase). Appointment to silk is a rigorous and demanding selection process. Becoming King’s Counsel is a widely respected mark of excellence in our legal system and reflects the strength and depth of the barrister’s expertise. Harriet has been recognised as a leading junior in planning law for many years by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. She has been noted for her ability to reach the heart of a matter quickly whilst retaining a bird’s eye view of the wider picture. Harriet’s advocacy is noted for being sharp and detailed; and she is able to communicate the most complex ideas to a non-specialist audience. Harriet has asked us to thank all those who participated in the selection process, as well as her clients and other counsel who, between them, make her work so fantastically interesting. #Silk #KingsCounsel #Barrister