Gabriel’s practice covers all areas of planning law, including judicial and statutory reviews, as well as planning appeals. He recently completed a secondment at A&O Shearman, advising in respect of a range of planning, infrastructure and compulsory purchase work.

Some of Gabriel’s recent Planning Court work includes:

• Appearing as sole counsel for the Claimant in R(Lifford Gardens) v Wychavon District Council [2024] EWHC 2943 (Admin). This was a significant case in which the High Court clarified the relationship between the GPDO and the Electronic Communications Code.
• Arun DC v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2026] EWHC 1172 (Admin) - as sole counsel, instructed on behalf of the claimant local authority in a s.288 TCPA 1990 challenge. This was an important decision which clarified the requirements for service in the Civil Procedure Rules for claims under s.288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
• Gabriel has appeared in multiple hearings in the High Court concerning injunctions sought under s.187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This includes both interim applications and final hearings.

Gabriel’s recent inquiry work includes:

• Successfully represented a Rule 6 Party at a three-day enforcement inquiry.
• Successfully appearing as junior counsel to Isabella Tafur at a two-week planning inquiry concerning a tower in Stratford.
• As junior counsel to Gregory Jones KC, instructed in a listed building enforcement notice inquiry.
• Successfully appearing in a two-day planning hearing concerning the development of 20 houses in Bolton.
• Gabriel is due to commence a two-week inquiry concerning an intensive pig farm in Norfolk in the autumn of 2026.

Gabriel has an extensive advisory practice. Recent instructions include:

• Advising a local authority on an outline permission for 1500 homes and surface water flooding.
• Advising a developer on permitted development rights and the Victorian railway statutes.
• Advising a developer on the Habitats Regulations.
• Advising a developer on the severability of planning conditions from a permission.
• Advising a local authority on the new local plan provisions in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.
• Advising on numerous judicial and statutory review applications, as well as drafting Pre-Action Letters.
• Drafting several advices on permitted development rights and electronic communications apparatus following his appearance in R(Lifford Gardens) v Wychavon District Council [2024] EWHC 2943 (Admin).
• Advising a local authority on their powers of appropriation.
• Advising on various aspects of Biodiversity Net Gain.

Gabriel also has experience of the development consent order process, following completion of pupillage under the supervision of Hugh Flanagan and Isabella Tafur. In particular:

• The statutory review of Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station in the Court of Appeal.
• The statutory review of East Anglia One and Two in the Court of Appeal.
• The statutory review of Net Zero Teesside, a gas-fired power station with carbon capture storage.

Gabriel practises in a wide range of environmental work and has been recognised for his work in this area. He has been instructed by, among others, Defra, the Northern Irish Government, the Office for Environmental Protection, Natural England. His work was recently profiled by the Environmental Law Foundation. He was seconded to the OEP throughout 2025 and was involved in a variety of high-profile environmental law matters.

Gabriel’s High Court environmental work includes:

• As junior to Ned Westaway, instructed by Natural England to defend a judicial review application concerning the pollution of Catfield Fen, one of the best and largest remaining areas of fen habitat in Western Europe.

Gabriel advises across the full breadth of environmental law, including:

• The correct interpretation of legal provisions in the Environment Act 2021.
• The government’s legal powers and duties underlying their Environmental Improvement Plan.
• Nutrient neutrality in depleted special areas of conservation.
• Private nuisance of waterways, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Manchester Ships Canal v United Utilities [2024] UKSC 22.
• Sewage storm overflows.
• Agricultural pollution of water bodies.
• Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations.
• Environment Permitting.
• Carriers, Brokers and Dealers regime under the Waste Regulations 2011.
• Habitats Regulation Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Biodiversity Net Gain.

Gabriel has developed a particular specialism in statutory and common law nuisance. Recent instructions include:

• Successfully representing a housing association in statutory nuisance proceedings.
• Successfully representing a local authority in an appeal of an abatement notice.
• Currently representing a client in a private prosecution under s.82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
• Advising a landowner on the tortious liability of a local authority in respect of flood damage caused by public works.
• Advising a landowner in respect of the compensation provisions under the Land Drainage Act 1991 for flood damage.
• Advising a local authority on the rights and obligations of landowners suffering from groundwater flooding. This included advising on the “measured duty of care” and rights appurtenant to riparian land.

Gabriel also regularly gives talks on the law of nuisance. This includes a presentation at the UKELA Conference on “The role of nuisance in climate mitigation and adaptation”.

Gabriel undertook (and obtained a distinction in) a master’s in environmental law and policy at University College London. He therefore has a broad knowledge of environmental law from his studies and would like to continue to develop his practice in this area. He built on his knowledge while working as a paralegal at Leigh Day in their international department, where he worked on the firm’s diesel emissions claims. He also recently co-wrote a chapter with Greg Jones KC in the upcoming book “The Aarhus Convention: Coming of Age?”

Gabriel also regularly speaks at Chambers’ Quarterly Environmental Law Updates and writes for the Environmental Law Blog.

Gabriel’s High Court experience in public law matters includes:

• Successfully challenging a planning permission for a clay pigeon shooting site in the South Downs National Park.
• R(Lifford Gardens) v Wychavon District Council [2024] EWHC 2943 (Admin) - appearing for the Claimant as sole counsel. This was a significant case in which the High Court clarified the relationship between the GPDO and the Electronic Communications Code.
• Berow v Maidstone Borough Council [2026] EWHC 635 (Admin) - appearing for the Claimant as sole counsel. This case addresses the relationship between statutory and common law rules of service in the context of the use of email by local authorities when serving statutory notices.
• Arun DC v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2026] EWHC 1172 (Admin) - as sole counsel, instructed on behalf of the claimant local authority in a s.288 TCPA 1990 challenge. This was an important decision which clarified the requirements for service in the Civil Procedure Rules for claims under s.288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
• As junior to Ned Westaway, instructed by Natural England to defend a judicial review application concerning the pollution of Catfield Fen, one of the best and largest remaining areas of fen habitat in Western Europe.
• Representing the Secretary of State for the Home Department in judicial review permission hearings.

Gabriel regularly advises in conference and in writing on judicial review prospects as well as broader public law issues. This includes:

• Assisting the police in their investigatory powers work under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in both the Crown Court and Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
• Advising on whether a local authority had acted in breach of their constitution.
• Advising on whether the blocking of a member of the public’s email addresses from contacting his elected representatives was a breach of his Article 10 ECHR rights.
• Regularly acting for parties in the Immigration Tribunal and cases concerning the Parole Board.

Gabriel has advised clients regarding blight notices and potential claims for injurious affection, as well as Highway Authorities’ powers of compulsory purchase under the Highways Act 1980.

Gabriel is keen to develop a practice in the field of Compulsory Purchase and Compensation, having had experience of the area during his pupillage under Hugh Flanagan and Isabella Tafur.

Gabriel has a busy licensing practice and is frequently instructed to represent parties at review hearings for a range of premises, including nightclubs, bars and off-licenses.

His Court and sub-committee work includes

• Berow v Maidstone Borough Council [2026] EWHC 635 (Admin) - appearing for the Claimant as sole counsel. This is the leading case on service of taxi licence revocation notices.
• As junior Leo Charalambides, instructed by McDonald’s in an appeal of a local authority’s decision to refuse McDonald’s a licence variation application. This was a five-day trial.
• Regularly appearing in the Magistrates’ Court in taxi licensing appeals.
• Regularly appearing for local authorities in the Magistrates’ Court in licensing appeals under the Licensing Act 2003.
• Regularly appearing at local authority sub-committees for relevant authorities.
• Regularly acting as a legal adviser to local authority sub-committees.

Gabriel has a keen interest in the law relating to highways, commons and open spaces, having covered the area in depth as part of his pupillage under the supervision of Ned Westaway.

Gabriel’s court work includes:

• Representing local authorities in defending several applications under s.56 of the Highways Act 1980.
• Representing the Open Spaces Society in an application under s.130A of the Highways Act 1980.

Gabriel has advised on:

• The correct interpretation of a s.8 Highways Act 1980 Agreement.
• The procedure for applications under s.56 of the Highways Act 1980, as well as advising on the merits of several applications.
• Rights of access under schemes of management established by the Commons Act 1899.
• Criminal liability for development on registered Town and Village Greens.
• Whether Town and Village Green registration is a material planning consideration when considering an application for planning permission.
• The powers of improvement of highways available to local authorities under the Highways Act 1980.
• Highways, tortious liability, the building regulations and lawful development certificates.
• Tortious liability, sewage overflows and highways.
• A judicial review challenge to a local authority’s definitive map modification order under Sch 15, para 12 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
• A judicial review challenge concerning the interpretation of “neighbourhood” in the deregistration of Town and Village Greens under s.16 Commons Act 2006.

Gabriel has significant experience of rating matters, both in Council Tax and Non-domestic business rates. His Court work includes:

• Regularly appearing for local authorities and ratepayers in the Magistrate’s Court.
• Presently instructed by a client in an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal of a decision of the VOA not to amend the rating list to reflect that their two properties are now a single dwelling.
• Drafting a skeleton argument and preparing the evidence for a council tax liability appeal.

His advisory work includes:

• Advising on the merits of an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal in respect of a listing officer’s refusal to amend the rating list.
• Advising on liability for council tax under the Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992.

During pupillage under the supervision of Hugh Flanagan, Gabriel covered several areas of rating law, including:

• Drafting an advice concerning The Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) (England) Regulations 2000.
• The scope of the public religious worship exemption for rating.

Gabriel has appeared on behalf of local authorities seeking s.187B injunctions in the High Court, including several final trials. He also has experience of interim injunctions and dealing with urgent matters at short notice.

Gabriel has experience advising and representing clients in property law matters.

He has appeared in the County Court in possession proceedings concerning mortgage arrears.

He has appeared in a five-day trial concerning fines issued for breaches of a local authority’s selective licensing scheme in the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

He has also advised on adverse possession claims and is presently junior to David Forsdick KC in an ongoing application.

During his secondment with the real estate team at A&O Shearman, Gabriel advised and assisted in many areas of property law.

• BPTC – Bar Course (very competent).
• University College London (LLM) – Environmental Law and Policy (Distinction).
• Durham University (LLB) – Law (First Class Honours).

• Reader’s Scholarship awarded by the Honourable Society of Middle Temple.
• The McFarlane’s Award for Trusts and Equity.
• The Lord Hughes of Ombersley Prize.
• School prizes for History and French.

• UKELA
• ALBA
• PEBA
• The Bar European Group
• CPA

Prior to being called to the Bar, Gabriel worked as a paralegal on large, environmental law group claims, including those related to the diesel emissions scandal. He has experience of the full breadth of the litigation process and is therefore comfortable advising on procedural matters. 

He is currently seconded for two days a week to the Office for Environmental Protection.

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