James Burton

James is a recognised specialist in environmental, planning and CPO/compensation work.

• Planning: James’ work spans residential development to nationally significant energy infrastructure to plan-making. He has acquired particular expertise in energy schemes, including energy from waste. Recent highlights include R (Fiske) v Test Valley BC [2025] 1 W.L.R. 3713 (correct approach to s.73), securing permission for a groundbreaking energy-from-clinical-waste and anaerobic digestion plant in Cambridgeshire, and also for first-time sewage treatment for the town of Peel (Isle of Man).

• Environment: James covers the range, from permitting offences to statutory nuisance to common law nuisance, including large-scale toxic tort international work. Recent highlights include Jalla v Shell (oil spill nuisance).

• CPO/compensation: In addition to CPO work, James has significant experience of Part I claims, and has appeared in most of the recent heavy cases, including for the claimants in Alridge & ors v London Southend Airport Co Ltd [2021] UKUT 8 (LC).

• James has particular expertise in highways/public rights of way, including Definitive Map and Road Traffic Regulation work. He is instructed in cases at the overlap of his main areas (e.g. to defend occupiers’ liability claims involving heritage assets, such as [2018] EWHC 3673 (QB)).

James appears regularly as sole advocate at public inquiry, in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

He has substantial experience of heavy group litigation, and his administrative law experience includes petitioning parliament (HS2).

James was named Environmental and Planning Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2015.