Ranking tables

Planning | UK Bar

London (Bar)

This section covers the area of law relating to the processes of planning applications for the development, construction or change of use of a building or buildings; compulsory purchase orders (CPO); and s106 agreements. The work in this section can be contentious – for example, judicial reviews, inquiries and appeals; and non-contentious – for example, planning and CPO strategies relating to development projects and urban regeneration schemes.

Rankings overview for Sets

  1. Christopher Katkowski KCKings Chambers
1

  1. Andrew Tait KC
    Andrew Tait KC Francis Taylor Building26 Years Ranked
  2. Charles Banner KC
    Charles Banner KC Keating Chambers18 Years Ranked
  3. Michael Humphries KC
    Michael Humphries KC Francis Taylor Building26 Years Ranked
  4. Richard Ground KC Cornerstone Barristers21 Years Ranked
  5. Richard Harwood KC 39 Essex Chambers23 Years Ranked
  6. David Elvin KCLandmark Chambers
  7. Hereward Phillpot KCFrancis Taylor Building
  8. James Maurici KCLandmark Chambers
  9. James Strachan KC39 Essex Chambers
  10. Morag Ellis KCFrancis Taylor Building
  11. Rupert Warren KCLandmark Chambers
  12. Russell Harris KCLandmark Chambers
  13. Sasha White KCLandmark Chambers
  14. Thomas Cosgrove KCCornerstone Barristers
  15. Timothy Corner KCLandmark Chambers
2

  1. Thomas Hill KC 39 Essex Chambers31 Years Ranked
  2. Daniel Kolinsky KCLandmark Chambers
  3. Douglas Edwards KCFrancis Taylor Building
  4. James Pereira KCFrancis Taylor Building
  5. Neil Cameron KCLandmark Chambers
  6. Paul Brown KCLandmark Chambers
3

  1. Richard Honey KC
    Richard Honey KC Francis Taylor Building17 Years Ranked
  2. Alexander Booth KCFrancis Taylor Building
  3. Christopher Boyle KCLandmark Chambers
  4. Craig Howell Williams KCFrancis Taylor Building
  5. David Forsdick KCLandmark Chambers
  6. David Wolfe KCMatrix Chambers
  7. Jenny Wigley KCLandmark Chambers
  8. Michael Bedford KCCornerstone Barristers
  9. Reuben Taylor KCLandmark Chambers
  10. Richard Glover KCFrancis Taylor Building
  11. Simon Bird KCFrancis Taylor Building
4

  1. Stephen Tromans KC
    Stephen Tromans KC 39 Essex Chambers27 Years Ranked
  2. Andrew Fraser-Urquhart KCFrancis Taylor Building
  3. Andrew Tabachnik KC39 Essex Chambers
  4. Estelle Dehon KCCornerstone Barristers
  5. Graeme Keen KCLandmark Chambers
  6. Gregory Jones KCFrancis Taylor Building
  7. Guy Williams KCLandmark Chambers
  8. Gwion Lewis KCLandmark Chambers
  9. Jonathan Karas KCFalcon Chambers
  10. Marc Willers KCGarden Court Chambers
  11. Paul Shadarevian KCCornerstone Barristers
  12. Peter Village KC39 Essex Chambers
  13. Richard Wald KC39 Essex Chambers
  14. Robert Walton KCLandmark Chambers
  15. Saira Kabir Sheikh KCFrancis Taylor Building
  16. Scott Lyness KCLandmark Chambers
  17. Tim Buley KCLandmark Chambers
5

  1. Alex Goodman KCLandmark Chambers
  2. David Blundell KCLandmark Chambers
  3. James Findlay KCCornerstone Barristers
  4. John Steel KC39 Essex Chambers
  5. Josef Cannon KCCornerstone Barristers
  6. Mark Westmoreland Smith KCFrancis Taylor Building
  7. Matthew Reed KCLandmark Chambers
  8. Megan Thomas KCSix Pump Court
  9. Melissa Murphy KCLandmark Chambers
  10. Meyric Lewis KCFrancis Taylor Building
  11. Paul Stinchcombe KC39 Essex Chambers
  12. Richard Moules KCLandmark Chambers
  13. Richard Turney KCLandmark Chambers
  14. Suzanne Ornsby KCFrancis Taylor Building
  15. Timothy Straker KC4-5 Gray's Inn Square
  16. William Upton KCSix Pump Court

  1. Harriet Townsend KC
    Harriet Townsend KC Cornerstone Barristers15 Years Ranked
  2. Sasha Blackmore KCLandmark Chambers
  3. Zack Simons KCLandmark Chambers
1

  1. Ashley BowesLandmark Chambers
  2. Rebecca CluttenFrancis Taylor Building
  3. Rob WilliamsCornerstone Barristers
  4. Victoria Hutton39 Essex Chambers
2

  1. Emmaline Lambert
    Emmaline Lambert Cornerstone Barristers10 Years Ranked
  2. James Burton 39 Essex Chambers14 Years Ranked
  3. Jonathan Darby 39 Essex Chambers10 Years Ranked
  4. Edward GrantCornerstone Barristers
  5. Heather SargentLandmark Chambers
  6. Hugh FlanaganFrancis Taylor Building
  7. Isabella TafurFrancis Taylor Building
  8. Ned WestawayFrancis Taylor Building
  9. Stephen MorganLandmark Chambers
3

  1. Clare Parry
    Clare Parry Cornerstone Barristers14 Years Ranked
  2. Andrew ParkinsonLandmark Chambers
  3. Anne WilliamsSix Pump Court
  4. Asitha RanatungaCornerstone Barristers
  5. Ben Du FeuCornerstone Barristers
  6. Charles StreetenFrancis Taylor Building
  7. Christiaan Zwart39 Essex Chambers
  8. Jack ParkerCornerstone Barristers
  9. Mark BeardSix Pump Court
4

  1. Daniel Stedman Jones 39 Essex Chambers7 Years Ranked
  2. Philippa Jackson 39 Essex Chambers5 Years Ranked
  3. Robin Green
    Robin Green Cornerstone Barristers23 Years Ranked
  4. Ruchi Parekh
    Ruchi Parekh Cornerstone Barristers4 Years Ranked
  5. Ryan Kohli
    Ryan Kohli Cornerstone Barristers16 Years Ranked
  6. Wayne Beglan
    Wayne Beglan Cornerstone Barristers20 Years Ranked
  7. Andrew ByassLandmark Chambers
  8. Anjoli FosterLandmark Chambers
  9. Annabel Graham PaulFrancis Taylor Building
  10. Ben FullbrookLandmark Chambers
  11. Caroline DalyFrancis Taylor Building
  12. Celina Colquhoun39 Essex Chambers
  13. Emma DringCornerstone Barristers
  14. Giles AtkinsonSix Pump Court
  15. Jacqueline LeanLandmark Chambers
  16. Juan Lopez39 Essex Chambers
  17. Kate OlleyFrancis Taylor Building
  18. Matthew FraserLandmark Chambers
  19. Matthew HendersonLandmark Chambers
  20. Merrow GoldenFrancis Taylor Building
  21. Stephen WhaleLandmark Chambers
5

  1. Katherine Barnes 39 Essex Chambers7 Years Ranked
  2. Mark O'Brien O'Reilly
    Mark O'Brien O'Reilly Francis Taylor Building1 Years Ranked
  3. Riccardo Calzavara
    Riccardo Calzavara Cornerstone Barristers8 Years Ranked
  4. Vivienne Sedgley
    Vivienne Sedgley 4-5 Gray's Inn Square5 Years Ranked
  5. Daisy NobleFrancis Taylor Building
  6. George MackenzieFrancis Taylor Building
  7. Hashi MohamedLandmark Chambers
  8. Horatio WallerFrancis Taylor Building
  9. Isabella BuonoLandmark Chambers
  10. Jonathan ClayCornerstone Barristers
  11. Matthew Dale HarrisLandmark Chambers
  12. Ned Helme39 Essex Chambers
  13. Nick GrantLandmark Chambers
  14. Nina PindhamCornerstone Barristers
  15. Rose Grogan39 Essex Chambers
U

  1. Conor Fegan
    Conor Fegan Francis Taylor Building1 Years Ranked
  2. Sam Fowles 39 Essex Chambers4 Years Ranked
  3. Alex WilliamsFrancis Taylor Building
  4. Daniel Kozelko39 Essex Chambers

All Sets profiles

1

Band 1

  1. Landmark Chambers
    1
    Landmark Chambers
    Planning
    2026 | Band 1 | 22 Years Ranked

    Landmark Chambers is widely recognised as the leading set for high-profile and nationally significant infrastructure planning inquiries and similar cases. These barristers take on complex disputes involving Green Belt and environmental considerations, matters of government policy, and both rail and air infrastructure. The set's diverse client base runs the gamut of developers, property owners, central government and local authorities throughout the UK. This year, members of chambers have appeared in the challenge to the expansion of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. One instructing solicitor notes that the set maintains "deep experience with the detailed issues involved in complex planning matters". Another interviewee agrees, stating that the team delivers "commercial advice that is client and solution focused".

2

Band 2

  1. Francis Taylor Building
    2
    Francis Taylor Building
    Planning
    2026 | Band 2 | 22 Years Ranked

    Francis Taylor Building is renowned for its dedication to planning work. Sources remark that the set is an "excellent planning set who provide clear and concise advice". The set has the capacity to take on the full range of planning matters, from compulsory purchase and compensation issues to environment, highways, and town and village green law. The set cultivates a similarly diverse client base, taking instructions from both local and central government, amenities, promoters, developers and interested parties. Members have recently acted in a significant number of cases relating to high-value residential developments, as well as high-profile infrastructure and policy-related matters. Members of the set appeared recently in Jones v Wrexham County Borough Council & Ors. An interviewee remarks that the set provides "comprehensive advice, good knowledge and clear and open communication". Other respondents agree that the team is "excellent - responsive and diligent".

3

Band 3

  1. 39 Essex Chambers
    3
    39 Essex Chambers
    Planning
    2026 | Band 3 | 19 Years Ranked

    39 Essex Chambers is notable for its broad geographical reach and its substantial base of both national and international clients, including individual residents, developers, private firms and government departments. The planning team's recent work includes R (Save Stonehenge) v Secretary of State for Transport, a case concerning the construction of a road tunnel to replace the surface level A303 at Stonehenge. One source says: "39 Essex has an excellent spread of skills and experience throughout the chambers." Further respondents state the set provides "exemplary support and advice".

  2. Cornerstone Barristers
    3
    Cornerstone Barristers
    Planning
    2026 | Band 3 | 22 Years Ranked

    The versatile Cornerstone team is capable of taking on both high-stakes planning inquiries and contentious cases in all venues from the High Court to the Supreme Court, with the benefit of additional experience in adjacent fields such as local property and public law. Clients typically range from private individuals to public bodies and from small businesses to large-scale developers. One example of the set's recent high-profile work is the Gatwick Northern Runway DCO Examination whereby Gatwick is proposing a second fulltime runway that would increase its capacity for flights and passengers by over a third. Sources report that the team provide "clear concise advice and rapid response times". Another interviewee says: "Cornerstone has a wide range of expertise and barristers to suit every type of client."

    Daryl Hughes is the senior clerk.

4

Band 4

  1. Six Pump Court
    4
    Six Pump Court
    Planning
    2026 | Band 4 | 13 Years Ranked

    Six Pump Court is well regarded for planning work in both advisory and litigation contexts, with an affinity for matters that overlap with related disciplines such as regulatory and environmental law. Barristers at the set represent all manner of clients in the planning world, including private entities, such as developers, infrastructure providers and landowners, and public bodies, such as a number of London boroughs and other local authorities. An interviewee states the team is made up of "experienced barristers who are friendly, knowledgeable and courteous". Another source adds: "They are planning specialists who can competently take on complex and sophisticated matters." This year, a work highlight for the set was appearing in the appeal regarding the demolition of Holborn Studios.