Jenny Wigley KC

Practice Areas

Jenny is a specialist barrister in the areas of planning and environmental law and non-domestic rating (local government tax). She is described by clients as “an excellent advocate and has a great eye for detail." and “definitely the counsel you want on your side.". Jenny was one of the first barristers recognised by The Planner’s Women of Influence Awards in 2021.

Jenny appears regularly in planning inquiries, the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in judicial review and statutory review claims including those related to climate change, adequate consultation, legitimate expectation, water, heritage, Habitats Regulations, EIA, SEA, air quality, s.106 obligations and conditions, the GPDO, enforcement, interpretation of policy and adequacy of reasons.

Of notable interest, Jenny represented the successful claimant in the statutory review challenge to all the Green Belt allocations in the Leeds Site Allocations Plan.

Jenny represents developers, public interest groups, campaign groups, local authorities and central government agencies. She is currently advising a large unitary local authority in defending refusals of applications by HS2 under Schedule 17 of the High-Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Act 2017. She is also representing National Highways in the High Court in statutory reviews of highway schemes.

On the non-domestic rating side, her practice includes cases in the Valuation Tribunal, Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and the Higher Courts, including in the landmark Divisional Court cases concerning empty rates relief (Makro, Kenya Aid, Digital Pipeline, Pall Mall and Public Health England).

Jenny was formerly a solicitor at Stephenson Harwood.