Jonathan joined Chambers in October 2020 following the successful completion of his pupillage in Chambers, under the supervision of Melissa Murphy, Mark Westmoreland Smith and Hugh Flanagan. 

Since joining Chambers, he has built a busy practice specialising in planning and environmental matters, acting for and advising a wide variety of clients including developers, national and local government, and local interest groups. He welcomes instructions to act individually or as part of a team, across all of Chambers’ practice areas.

Before undertaking pupillage at Francis Taylor Building, Jonathan spent a year as judicial assistant to Sir Keith Lindblom L.J. (now Senior President of Tribunals), in the Court of Appeal.

Jonathan has particular experience in the following areas:

• planning and environment, including enforcement
• compulsory purchase and compensation
• injunctions and public authority powers in respect of unauthorised encampments
• rating and valuation
• public and human rights law
• rights of way and highways
• public order and anti-social behaviour law

Notable examples of Jonathan’s recent and ongoing work include: 

• Acting for local planning authority in 4-day section 78 appeal inquiry (sole counsel);
• Acting for local planning authority in enforcement hearing (sole counsel);
• Junior counsel for HS2 Ltd in a variety of ongoing interim injunction proceedings against protesters, including at Euston Square Gardens;
• Advising developer on appeal against refusal of planning permission for 50 homes;
• 8-day planning inquiry on behalf of a commercial landowner and Rule 6(6) party;
• Acting for appellant developer in 5-day combined s.73 and Enforcement Notice appeal;
• Junior to Gregory Jones QC in section 289 appeal against enforcement notice on grounds of nullity;
• Junior to Richard Honey QC in judicial review of planning decision affecting SEN school (issues including the scheme of delegation, noise, traffic and air quality);
• Advising on local authority action to remove unauthorised encampments under the CJPOA;
• Sole counsel in a 9-day highways inquiry for statutory objector;
• Drafting notice of reference for Compulsory Purchase Compensation claim;
• Secondment at London Borough legal department;
• Appearing at call-in inquiry for a London Borough Council as Rule 6(6) party;
• Appearing at a local plan examination on behalf of a neighbourhood forum;
• S.288 challenge of an inspector decision concerning a substantial residential dwelling;
• Assisting Morag Ellis QC in relation to a sensitive and strategically important site allocated for development in a local plan.

Jonathan is planning editor of the Property Law UK journal.