Craig Howell Williams QC specialises in planning, environment and related areas of public law. He is acknowledged as one of the leading practitioners in the field and has acted in some of the most high profile cases.

He represents developers and operators, local authorities, third parties and others at public inquiries and in a range of other tribunals. He is regularly involved in large planning/major infrastructure schemes such as proposals for urban extensions, new settlements, airport expansions, new road and rail schemes, and also in employment, leisure, retail and other commercial development projects.

His experience is extensive and shows versatility across many different kinds of legislative regime, including planning and infrastructure, DCOs and TWA orders, highways, heritage and listed buildings, compulsory purchase and compensation, Wildlife and Countryside legislation and outdoor advertising.

Craig was appointed and served as Junior Counsel to the Crown (B Panel) and has since then appeared in a number of significant court cases.

Craig is consistently rated as one of the leading planning silks in Chambers and Partners Directory and Legal 500 and was voted a top rated planning silk in the Planning Magazine Survey 2017.

Craig was appointed by the Secretary of State to serve as Lead Assistant Commissioner for the West Midlands region to hold hearings and report into proposals to modify Parliamentary constituency boundaries.

He was appointed by the National Procurement Service for Wales to its first panel of approved counsel to advise and appear for Welsh public sector organisations.

Craig is also a CEDR Accredited Mediator and a RICS Accredited Evaluative Mediator, a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the RICS President's Mediation Panel. He was also appointed to serve on the first DCLG's Planning Mediation Services Panel. 

Craig has considerable experience in planning, environment and related areas of public law, as follows.

Planning
DCO/Major Infrastructure, Transport and Works Act Orders and Parliamentary Bills
Environment
Compulsory Purchase, Compensation and Land Valuation
The Courts, Administrative Law and Judicial Review
Mediation