Estelle Dehon KC

Practice Areas

Estelle Dehon KC's practice includes environment and planning law, data protection, access to information, and election law. In June 2023 she appeared in the Supreme Court in a significant case concerning the climate impact of oil development. Estelle also appears for developers in local plan examinations and advises local authorities on controversial developments.

Recent work includes:

• Appearing before the Supreme Court in R (Finch) v Surrey County Council concerning a controversial permission granted for 25 years of oil extraction in Surrey, which will establish the correct approach to considering downstream greenhouse gas emissions.

• Appearing in the legal challenge to the lawfulness of the UK’s net-zero aviation policy, and advising an international NGO on aviation and shipping emissions under the Paris Agreement;

• Representing developer, Ashill Land, at three hearing sessions in the Examination in Public of the proposed new Waverley Local Plan Part 2 (LPP2).

• Appearing in two of the biggest inquiries in 2021: the called-in inquiry on the new coal mine in Cumbria and the 10-week inquiry on the expansion of Bristol Airport;

• Representing the Appellant in one of five lead cases in the Information Tribunal, determining whether individuals outside the UK can make FOIA requests;

• Representing the Environment Agency in a challenge to consent for Chiltern Tunnel (HS2 development);

Career

Called in 2006

Appointed Silk in 2022

Professional Memberships

UKELA

PEBA

ALBA

Publications

'Fair, Lawful, Legitimate and Transparent Processing', in Data Protection: a Practical Guide to UK and EU law, (5 ed, OUP, 2018).