Solicitor - Planning

We are seeking an ambitious and commercially minded Planning Solicitor to join our growing Real Estate team in either Newcastle or Leeds. This is an exciting opportunity for a someone who has between 1-5 years' PQE and is looking to take the next step in their career and become part of a highly regarded and expanding practice.

Working alongside experienced specialists, you will advise on a broad range of planning and development matters for a diverse client base, playing a key role in delivering innovative solutions on complex and high-profile projects. If you are looking for your next challenge within a supportive, forward-thinking and ambitious team, we'd love to hear from you.

What will I be doing?

• Draft, review and negotiate s106 Agreements for housebuilders, registered providers, landowners and local authorities and liaise with some significant clients regarding the same including national household names;
• Advise upon legal planning issues including interpretation of planning consents; interpretation of planning conditions; issues around whether a planning permission has been lawfully implemented; the different types of planning permission and their interaction;
• Advise upon the CIL Regulations and their application and advice around structuring a planning proposal to take account of the implications of CIL;
• Advice associated with compulsory acquisition and Development Consent Order work whether for a promoting authority/agency or whether objecting to a proposed scheme;
• Instructing and liaising with counsel on a number of projects whether for written advice or as part of a larger scheme progressing to inquiry;
• Advice regarding certificates of lawfulness and planning enforcement from the initial stages through to inquiry and/or judicial challenge as appropriate;
• Involvement in judicial review advice and court proceedings whether making an application or advising in respect of a challenge in the courts;
• Regular advice upon highways issues including in particular public rights of way including stopping up / diversion applications, strategic advice for dealing with public rights of way / desire lines, landowner statements;
• Contribute to the business development initiatives of the team, which may include, presenting at seminars, writing articles or networking in the regions;
• Review and draft planning conditions / clauses in leases / options as part of the wider Real Estate Team.

You'll have

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Strong organisational and time management skills, along with the ability to effectively prioritise;
• A good level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word together with an understanding of the importance of document management;
• Proactivity and a high level of attention to detail;
• The ability to work both as a team and, on your own initiative.

About us

We're proud to be an independent, full-service law firm providing exceptional legal expertise to businesses, the built environment, healthcare, the public and third sectors, and private individuals. With several office locations around the UK we're one of the UK's Top 100 law firms. When you join us you’ll be part of a team of over 500 passionate and talented individuals who take pride in offering an exciting and supportive environment allowing you to thrive.

We're passionate about promoting wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion, with dedicated committees to support ongoing efforts. We recognise that a healthy and thriving Firm filled with individuality and differences strengthens our teams, our clients and our communities.

What we can offer you

We’re committed to being a firm focused on support, development, wellbeing and inclusion and we’re always striving to improve. Our commitment to this has been recognised by our achievement of our Gold Investors in People award and by our Hive HR Employee Voice certification.

We reward our people with a whole range of benefits, some core and some flexible, designed to shape a reward package that’s right for you – now and in the future. Our core benefits include:

• An enhanced pension scheme with employer matched contributions of up to 6%.
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (increasing to 28 days with length of service). There is also the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
• Life assurance cover of 4 times basic salary, with the option to purchase additional cover.
• A range of health and wellbeing benefits.
• Hybrid working with a minimum requirement of 2 days per week working from one of our offices.
• We also have a flexible benefits programme where you can purchase a wide range of additional benefits.

If you would like to request further information or to discuss the role, please contact people@wardhadaway.com quoting vacancy reference NTX1243473.

If you require any adjustments to be made to our recruitment process, please request a call back via the above email address.

Agencies - please note that we are not currently instructing agents to support with this role. Please do not send speculative CVs.