George's primary specialism is major infrastructure work, with an emphasis on transportation, energy (including energy from waste) and utility projects (including utility diversions). He is thoroughly familiar with the legal and policy framework for DCOs, TWAOs, MLs and HROs and is well-placed to offer tactical and substantive advice, as well as advocacy at inquiries or examinations. George also has a sound working knowledge of many of the technical modelling parameters involved in NSIP promotion, such as strategic highways models, mesoscopic demand models, area/junction micro-simulation and stochastic water resource (including drought) models. 

George regularly provides advice and advocacy to bodies, investors and public authorities promoting (or objecting to) major infrastructure projects (whether NSIPs or not) and enjoys the process of working with the client and their experts to master the detail across numerous technical topic areas. The directories note George’s “ability to work seamlessly with different personalities in the client team”, an attribute that is particularly important in the context of large teams working on DCO applications

His involvement in major infrastructure work includes:

• acting for a partnership seeking to co-locate offshore bivalve aquaculture assets within the Mona, Morgan and Morcambe OFW DCO Order Limits;
• advising the promoter of the Beacon Fen Energy Park as to pre-application procedure (DCO application expected in 2025);
• acting (with Douglas Edwards KC) for 3 years+ on behalf of Thurrock Council, the principal objector to both DCO applications for the LTC NSIP, the largest transportation infrastructure project in Europe;
• acting (as junior to Lord Banner KC and Craig Howell-Williams KC) for Fenland District Council in the judicial review of the Medworth EfW CHP (AC-2024-LON-001087); 
• acting (with Michael Humphries KC) for the promoter of the a 125Mw renewable energy hub in Wales in their successful statutory challenge of the Welsh Ministers’ refusal to consent the scheme. See R (Wentlooge Farmers' Solar Scheme Limited) v Welsh Ministers (AC-2023-CDF-000004);
• advising (with James Pereira KC) the promoters of a carbon capture and storage project, involving a proposed pipeline NSIP, in connection with land and commercial negotiations with National Grid;
• acting for a major landowner in connection with the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton DCO application;
• acting (with Suzanne Ornsby KC) for Thames Water in connection with the preparation of their statutory Water Resources Management Plan and, in particular, appraisal of two potential water resource NSIPs (pipeline and reservoir);
• acting for the Trail Riders’ Fellowship in their objection to the A303/Stonehenge DCO application; and
• acting for houseboat owners/occupiers in connection with the Thames Tideway Tunnel DCO application. 
   

George’s substantial planning practice is both advisory and contentious and covers all fields of development and investment, with a particular focus on strategic-scale residential, logistics, retail and mixed-use schemes. He has also advised extensively in respect of enforcement matters, CIL disputes, s.187B injunctions, TPOs, s.106/s.178 agreements, advertisement consent, listed building consent and hazardous substances consent. His practice encompasses both strategic land promotion as well as appeal and statutory challenge work. He has particularly deep experience in housing, retail, logistics/distribution and data centre development (and in particular promoting these schemes in controversial appeal contexts such as in Green/Grey Belt locations). 

George is a formidable inquiry advocate (this is what he enjoys most about his practice at the bar) and also regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal, mostly unled. He works for private developers, landowners, land promoters, local government and objectors, and is consistently ranked as a leading planning junior in the Legal 500 (2023, 2024 and 2025). He served on the Attorney-General’s ‘C’ Panel of Counsel for 5 years.

George is intimately familiar with all aspects of English planning policy (Green Belt, Grey Belt, National Landscapes, Heritage Coast, National Parks, Standard Method etc.) and he also has recent experience dealing with the Welsh planning policy framework, PPW. He particularly enjoys – and has a particular aptitude in – technical aspects of planning such as transport/highways, drainage, noise, ecology, flooding etc.

Recent examination, inquiry, hearing and other casework includes:

• Land at Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common, Solihull (5-day inquiry, 100 dwellings in the Green Belt, January 2025);
• Land at Broad Lane, Holtspur, Beaconsfield (8-day inquiry, 120 dwellings in the Green Belt, December 2024);
• Promoting Oxford City Council’s Local Plan 2020-2040 (George also promoted the extant adopted local plan for Oxford City Council 2016-2036 with Douglas Edwards KC);
• promoting and advising on Cotswold District Council’s 5yr Local Plan Partial Review and housing requirement review;
• Land at Betteshangar Country Park, Dover (ongoing advice re. planning applications and threatened judicial review proceedings for an artificial surfing lagoon, associated 120-bed hotel and associated leisure facilities);
• Land south of Burford Road, Minster Lovell, West Oxfordshire (134 units; 8-day inquiry sitting in February 2024)
• Land in the Beltwood Estate, Sydenham Hill, London SE26 (2-day enforcement hearing in respect of an enforcement notice which required three new-build terraced houses adjacent to a listed building to be demolished, November 2023);
• Land south of Main Road, Curbidge, West Oxfordshire (4-day inquiry, storage and builders’ yard enforcement appeal, January 2023); and
• Land South of Badminton Road, Old Sodbury, South Gloucestershire (4-day inquiry, 35 dwellings, November 2022);
• Land at Oakdown Farm, A30, Dummer, Basingstoke (8-day inquiry, sub-regional strategic-scale 26ha logistics/LDW hub and transport network interventions to M3, October 2022);
• Land north of Crown Road, Marnhull, Dorset (5-day inquiry, 72 dwellings, July 2022)
• Land at Station Road, Stalbridge, North Dorset (7-day inquiry, 130 dwellings, February 2022);
• Land at Ridgeway, the Thicket, Canon Lane, Maidenhead (8-day inquiry, new c.1000 pupil capacity all-through school, parking sports facilities in the Green Belt, November 2020);
• promoting the West of England Combined Authorities’ Spatial Development Strategy (with Douglas Edwards KC) (2022) and, previous to that, promoting the Joint Spatial Strategy for the West of England (with Suzanne Ornsby KC) (2020).

George's reported planning judicial reviews/statutory challenges include:

• R (Walker) v Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames [2024] EWHC 1915 (Admin)
• R (Fenland District Council) v SSENZ (AC-2024-LON-001087) (junior to Lord Banner KC and Craig Howell-Williams KC);
• R (Low Carbon Solar Park 6 Ltd) v SSLUHC [2024] (junior to Michael Humphries KC);
• Robert Hitchens Ltd v Cotswold District Council (AC-2023-BHM-000220) (junior to Suzanne Ornsby KC);
• Royal Mail Group Ltd v Cornwall Council (AC-2023-CDF-000113);
• Blow Up Media Ltd v SSLUCLG and Hackney LBC (9 February 2023);
• Brent LBC v SSLUHC [2023] J.P.L. 159;
• R Whiteside) v Croydon LBC [2022] EWHC 3318 (Admin);
• Norfolk Caravan Park Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] EWHC 2114 (Admin);
• Royale Parks Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] EWCA Civ 1101;
• Barton Park Estates Ltd v SSHCLG [2021] EWHC 1200 (Admin);
• Henham Parish Council v SSCLG (CO/0385/2021);
• Buckinghamshire Council v Ward [2021] EWHC 1180 (QB);
• Adams v SSHCLG[2020] EWHC 3076 (Admin);
• Maistry v SSCLG (CO/3170/2020);
• R (Bertoncini) v Hammersmith and Fulham LBC [2020] 6 WLUK 174; and
• Harding v South Downs NPA (CO/3175/2019)

A major element of George’s practice involves advising in relation to the making/promoting of CPOs as well as references to the Lands Tribunal for compensation following the exercise of statutory powers to acquire land or create rights by compulsion, whether in the context of CPOs or DCOs.

CPOs. George advises public authorities (including statutory undertakers and generation licence holders) seeking compulsory land assembly powers in relation to a wide range of matters (housing, regeneration, transport, etc.). Clients include RWE, Low Carbon, Network Rail, BP and Harbour Energy. George is a highly regarded inquiry advocate and is ideally suited to cases that call for the navigation of complex and controversial CPO inquiries. He also acts for those objecting to CPOs and is well placed to offer strategic advice about how to leverage objection to CPOs to secure tangible and commercial benefits from an acquiring authority. 

Compensation. George has acted in numerous references, including  some with a final value (i.e. determined or settled) of over £2.5million, and his practice encompasses compensation and valuation disputes arising out of a wide range of statutory activity such as implementation of TWAOs, DCOs, CPOs, Electricity Act 1989 wayleaves, ancillary rights under s.1 of the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966, GPDO art.4 directions as well as contractual references. Clients welcome George’s thorough knowledge of the compensation code (including the niceties of s.14 LCA 1961) as well as his aptitude for working with company accounts, balance sheets and .xlsx models particularly in cases involving business extinguishment. He has acted in many references against HS2 and National Highways.

George has acted for clients in mediations, and is familiar with ADR procedure and advocacy. In the right case, ADR can present real opportunities to all parties in compensation proceedings, and George is well-placed to advise in this respect.

George’s experience includes:

• advising Oxford City Council in respect of a CPO at Jericho Wharf (ongoing);
• acting for RWE, the operator of Didcot B Power Station, in their objection, at a public inquiry, to the Oxfordshire County Council (Didcot Garden Town Highways Infrastructure – A4130 Improvement (Milton Gate To Collett Roundabout), A4197 Didcot To Culham Link Road, and A415 Clifton Hampden Bypass) Compulsory Purchase Order 2022;
• advising the proprietor of a well-known pub near Euston Station, the Bree Louise, in connection with a c.£2m claim for compensation arising out of the compulsory acquisition of the pub for the HS2-led redevelopment of Euston Station (ongoing);
• acting (as junior to James Pereira KC) for the operator of a motorway services area in a reference to the UTLC for over £1m in the context of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon DCO (ongoing);
• acting for Thurrock Council (with Douglas Edwards KC) in relation to the suite of compulsory acquisition proposed in the context of the lower Thames Crossing DCO;
• advising Kirklees MDC in connection with the CPO of a city centre tower block;
• securing a settlement of over £2m in respect of a UTLC reference concerning a blight notice served in the context of the M42 Junction 6 DCO;
• securing a settlement of over £2million in respect of HS2’s compulsory acquisition of land and rights over an agricultural and equestrian estate in South Northamptonshire;
• advising Network Rail in their objection (which was ultimately settled by way of agreement) to the London Borough of Southwark (Elephant and Castle Town Centre) CPO 2023;  
• acting (as junior to James Pereira KC) for the claimants in Five Oaks Land Ltd v Redbridge LBC [2022] R.V.R. 13 and ultimately securing well in excess of £5million in compensation shortly before the UTLC hearing commenced;
• acting for Lloyds Bank in a reference to determine compensation arising as a result of a closure of a bank branch in the context of the London Borough of Enfield (Highmead) CPO 2011;
• advising Savills and the operators of a care home in Uxbridge in their claim for compensation for injurious affection arising out of HS2’s acquisition of the subsoil beneath the property;
• advising Suffolk County Council in respect of an indemnity agreement underlying a  highways CPO promoted to rationalise access arrangements for an industrial estate;
• acting for Network Rail in respect of all of the compensation claims (brought by or against Network Rail) arising from the following orders:
  • Worcestershire County Council Southern Link Road (Worcester) Compulsory Purchase Order 2015 (reference ongoing);
  • Buckinghamshire Council (A4010 South East Aylesbury Link Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 2020;
  • Buckinghamshire Council (A4010 South East Aylesbury Link Road) (Classified Road) (Side Roads) Order 2020; and
  • Network Rail (Norton Bridge Area Improvements) Order 2014;
• advising the investment consortium delivering a major strategic extension to Cirencester in relation to complex compensation claims arising out of the diversion of 132kV electricity transmission lines needed to facilitate the development;
• acting for the claimant in a tribunal reference for £600k+ arising out of the Network Rail (Ipswich Chord) Order 2012;
• acting (as junior to Richard Glover KC) for Halton Borough Council in relation to a business extinguishment reference re. a fire alarm manufacturer that arose out of the making of the Mersey Gateway Bridge Order 2011; and
• successfully defending the SOS’s decision to make a CPO for a major regeneration of a housing estate in Camden: Kuznetsov v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2017] EWHC 2713 (Admin).

George has extensive experience and expertise in rating. He is a contributing editor of the leading practitioners’ encyclopaedia on rating, Ryde, and regularly acts (both led and unled) in rating litigation in the VTE, Lands Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. He is well-placed to advise in relation to all aspects of contentious and non-contentious rating work including MCC/valuation appeals and occupation/mitigation/relief disputes.

His clients include billing authorities, asset managers, landowners, institutions (such as National Museums Liverpool), large national companies and multi-national entities (including Mazars, Ernest & Young Global). George particularly enjoys work that involves complex hereditaments such as energy transmission infrastructure and cement factories (both of which he has recently advised in relation to). 

In addition to his substantial advisory practice, George’s rating case work includes:

• Marshall v Bath and North East Somerset Council [2024] EWHC 2551 (Admin)
• National Museums Liverpool v Allen (Valuation Officer) (2023, VTE)
• FC Brown Steel Equipment Ltd v Hopkins  [2022] R.A. 179
• Avison Young Ltd v Jackson (Valuation Officer)  [2021] EWCA Civ 969 (CA and UTLC)
• Mazars LLP v Jackson  [2022] R.A. 155
• Isle Investments Ltd v Leeds City Council [2020] EWHC 3482 (Admin)
• Co-operative Group v Virk (Valuation Officer)  [2021] R.A. 59
• Newham LBC v Rad Phase 1 Type B Property Co No.1 Ltd  [2020] R.A. 384
• Buzz Group Ltd v Salmon (Valuation Officer) [2020] R.A. 292
• Jackson's Appeal, Re  [2020] R.A. 434
• Jagoo v Bristol City Council  [2019] EWCA Civ 19
• Patel v Jackson (Valuation Officer)   [2019] R.V.R. 232
• Delph Property Group Ltd v Alexander (Valuation Officer) [2019] R.A. 233
• Codexe Ltd v Lamb (Valuation Officer)  [2018] R.A. 319 
   

Somewhat uniquely at FTB, George’s practice encompasses a range of pure property and commercial matters. As a result he is well-placed to advise in respect of matters within his core specialisms, but which also have a real property or commercial dimension (as many planning cases invariably do) or to act as a junior to a property silk (often from other chambers) in a property/commercial case that raises planning or rating issues. Also somewhat uniquely for a public lawyer, George has a wealth of experience of acting in Part 7 (as well as Part 8) litigation and is familiar with the drafting conventions for Part 7 pleadings. He often provides formal advice to lenders in relation to permitted user clauses in leases over which security is taken.

Notable examples of George’s property and commercial work include:

• advising a partnership of commercial operators seeking to co-locate offshore bivalve aquaculture assets in Welsh waters of the Irish Sea as to marine leasing arrangements and in particular leasing involving the Crown Estate in the context of a DCO (the Mona OFW DCO);
• advising (on numerous occasions) lenders in relation to interpretation of covenants, permitted user clauses, overage clauses etc. in leases and development agreements including, most recently, whether a large block of flats in central London could be used as serviced apartments and in relation to restrictive covenants at the Leeds and Reading festivals sites;
• advising the recipients of planning permission for a major mixed use redevelopment in Camden in relation to rights of light claims brought pre-emptively by neighbouring leaseholders;
• advising (with James Pereira KC) Coin Street Community Builders on the extent of private rights of access within their estate under various s.52 agreements, leases and transfers; 
• acting for a landowner in Chancery Division litigation (worth £2million) concerning breaches of a development agreement and improper asbestos remediation works;
• acting for landowners threatened with proceedings (over £100k) under ss238/239 of the Insolvency Act 1986 in the context of the insolvency of a company which had delivered renovation works to their property while balance sheet insolvent; 
• acting (pro bono) for Middle Ground Growers, a non-profit farming co-operative in Bath, in respect of unregistered/prescriptive easements of access to their farm (which were regularly blocked and rendered impassable by their neighbours);
• advising HS2 in relation to breach of covenant proceedings against Camden LBC arising out of Camden’s alleged failure to remove anti-HS2 protestors (and tunnel-occupiers) from public spaces in and around Euston Station;
• acting (with David Matthias KC) for Bristol Rovers Football Club (in the High Court and Court of Appeal) in their breach of contract claim against Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd. See Bristol Rovers 1883 Ltd v Sainsbury’s Supermarkets.
• advising on whether an implied wayleave under the Electricity Act 1989 is a contractual licence or an easement in real property terms. 

George is familiar with the technical legal framework relating to highways, commons and open space including town and village green registration, deregistration and exchange. He acted for the landowner in the leading modern case on the meaning of “curtilage” (Blackbushe Airport Ltd v SSEFRA and Hampshire CC) in the Court of Appeal and High Court (led by Douglas Edwards KC). He has acted in his own right in numerous village green inquiries, commons deregistration and exchange inquiries, and his advisory practice across all areas of highways, commons, greens and open space is extensive. George has a particularly keen interest in the somewhat technical and arcane law of commons and regularly advises commons registration authorities in relation to the various contested matters that crop up under the Commons Act 2006, particularly concerning land in Dartmoor, Cornwall and Wales.

• MA (Hons) Jurisprudence (with Law Studies in Europe) – Oxford University
• Certificat de Droit Français et International - Université Panthéon¬-Assas (Paris II)
• Attorney General’s ‘C’ Panel of Counsel – 2016 to 2021
• Mansfield Scholarship – Lincoln’s Inn (major scholarship)
• Megarry Scholarship – Lincoln’s Inn
• Buchanan Scholarship – Lincoln’s Inn 
• Hardwicke Award – Lincoln’s Inn 
• Academic Exhibitioner - Mansfield College, Oxford
• Scholarship to Oxford University – Oxford and Cambridge Society of Kenya
   

George is a contributing editor of the most authoritative encyclopaedia on rating, Ryde on Rating and the Council Tax (LexisNexis).

Privacy Notice

George lives in South London with his family. He is a keen surfer and travels extensively to France, Madeira, South Africa, Indonesia and Hawaii to surf. He is a sometime practitioner of Zen and, in the winter, a cold water swimmer.