Environment and planning

"The firm is particularly good at environment law and issues related to contamination". Chambers Global 2010

Our team is the largest specialist environment and planning practice by size and spread in Australia. We are recognised as the ‘go to’ firm for all environment, planning and climate change issues.

Our reputation in the market place is second to none for our ability to provide innovative and strategic advice to our clients. We have a long history of acting for developers, infrastructure providers, and landowners.

We are trusted government advisors, and have advised numerous government entities on environment and planning laws, and relevant climate change laws including the introduction of a Carbon Price. Our climate change practice is widely recognised by both the private sector and government as one of the top two climate change practices in Australia.

The environment and environmental regulations are now major items on business and political agendas in Australia. We provide our clients with practical advice, helping them to understand how environmental issues will impact on their operations and how to best meet corporate responsibilities.

We can advise on the effect of planning controls; assist with the preparation of planning applications and rezoning proposals that optimise prospects of approval; amending planning schemes; managing environmental incidents and investigations; assessing environmental management systems; and negotiating with regulatory authorities. And much more.

We offer you:

• skills that not only include expert legal advice, but those of engineers, town planners and quantity surveyors who can work with clients, and their consultants, at a technical level
• the unique ability to advise seamlessly on both environment and planning law, with related advice from our climate change team
• specialist knowledge of a full range of development projects, including residential, tourism and recreation, retail, aged care, commercial and industrial projects and major infrastructure projects such as roads, water, waste and telecommunications
• exceptional relationships with regulators in all regions, allowing us to facilitate approvals easily
• experience gained from advising on some of the largest projects in Australia.