BDB Pitmans named ‘Planning Law Firm of the Year’

The accolade recognises the firm's outstanding work in promoting a major energy-from-waste facility development consent order (DCO). This project will divert 1.2 million tonnes of waste from landfill, generating enough energy to power over 200,000 homes.

DCOs are intricate documents that authorise infrastructure projects, covering planning consents and various powers necessary for implementing and regulating such developments. The complexity of this particular scheme required careful consideration of conservation and environmental regulations. The project culminated in a public examination, and the Secretary of State made the DCO on 5 July 2023.

BDB Pitmans is acclaimed for advising on planning consents and delivering large, complex infrastructure projects. The firm’s award-winning team has worked on significant schemes, including the Lower Thames Crossing, London Luton Airport Expansion, East West Rail, flood defense projects in Lincolnshire and Somerset, and multiple waste-to-energy initiatives.

Nick Evans, Head of the Planning and Infrastructure team, expressed delight at receiving the award: “We are thrilled to have been named ‘Planning Law Firm of the Year’. It follows an exceptionally busy year for our market-leading infrastructure consenting practice. We are enormously proud to be actively engaged in cutting-edge renewable energy matters targeted towards speeding up the energy transition, including solar, nuclear, offshore wind, hydrogen, waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel, and carbon capture projects.”

Evans highlighted that the award reflects the firm's broader commitment to the sector, including their well-established Planning Act blog, market-leading practice in Clean Air Zones (CAZ), and thought leadership in biodiversity net gain, now a crucial element in the planning process.

The award-winning BDB Pitmans team includes Richard Marsh (Partner), assisted by Rahil Haq and Sophie Reese (Senior Associates), Jess Hobbs and Aranya Tharumakunarajah (Associates), Pam Thompson (Principal Parliamentary Clerk), and James Ross (Partner) on the property side.