Environment and Planning

Comprehensive support from a leading specialist team

The increasing complexity of environment and planning-related regulation poses a great challenge for organisations across all sectors.

Our specialist environment and planning team has years of experience and the practical know-how to advise clients on a wide range of environmental issues.

We undertake environmental, planning and compulsory acquisition litigation as well as supporting a broad variety of transactions, including project infrastructure provision. Our deep sector expertise includes native title, heritage, climate change, biodiversity, contamination, pollution, water and renewable energy law.

Our team has strong relationships with state-based regulators and is often consulted about new legislation, enabling us to offer our clients unique insight into the latest developments in environment and planning law.

Good people to work with who are highly experienced in all aspects of planning and environment – they have a good network of barristers and other expert consultants when needed. The quality of work is consistently good and delivered on time. They provide regular, free updates in changes of law and other interesting developments in the market.

Chambers Asia Pacific Guide, 2019

Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning

Acted on all planning, environmental, infrastructure and native title issues associated with the A$3.6 billion Queens Wharf Brisbane project (which aims to facilitate the construction of a world class integrated resort development (including a new casino)) in the Brisbane CBD. This included drafting and negotiating amendments to the Brisbane Casino Agreement Act 1992.

Australian Paper

Advised on environmental and planning issues associated with Australian Paper’s proposed Victorian waste-to-energy facility.

MACH Energy

Undertook purchaser planning and environmental due diligence on acquisition of the Mt Pleasant coal mine including advice on planning approvals, biodiversity, water rights and environmental licensing. Defending and ultimately achieving discontinuance of a NSW Land and Environment Court legal challenge to the validity of MACH Energy’s planning approval for the Mt. Pleasant Coal Mine. We also acted on acquisition of water rights for the mining project.

Gold Coast Light Rail, Department of Transport and Main Roads

Provided environmental and planning advice on the GCLR project including alleged generation of landfill gas from construction of Stage 2, planning requirements associated with extension of Jupiter’s Casino, including DTMR’s powers to impose infrastructure requirements relating to transport impacts. Advice on project approval requirements and property acquisition requirements and implications. Advice on declaration of a transport interface management area under relevant statutes.

Transport for NSW

Advised on voluntary planning agreement and project delivery agreement for the redevelopment of One Carrington Street above Sydney central CBD subway station at Wynyard including extensive upgrade of Wynyard Station concourse. The matter involved drafting and negotiating project documentation with the developer to ensure delivery of works, allocating project risks and managing interfaces with other major transport infrastructure projects simultaneously underway around the project site.