Frank has acted on a wide range of Planning and Environmental matters especially regeneration and compulsory purchase projects such as retail, town centre and housing market renewal schemes.
Frank has experience of over seventy compulsory purchase orders and compensation matters under a range of powers on behalf of many northern local authorities including Hartlepool BC, South Tyneside MBC, Stockton MBC, North Tyneside MBC, Kingston upon Hull City Council and Kirklees Council as well as proposed redevelopment and compulsory purchase of Earls Court in London, a £9.1 billion scheme. He provides a comprehensive compulsory purchase service to acquiring authorities: advising on policy and statutory powers, providing strategic analysis and assessment of the evidential base needed to make a compelling case in the public interest, promoting orders and advising on the Compensation Code. He also acts for claimants making representations in respect of compulsory purchase and pursuing compensation claims.
In addition he has extensive experience across the land use spectrum advising local planning authorities, developers and landowners on matters including environmental impact assessment; development plans; enforcement; highways; PROW; TPOs; listed buildings; waste. High Court challenge under the Planning Acts and judicial review – major cases in which Frank has been involved include Manydown Company Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC (on extent of local government discretion) and Brown v Carlisle City Council (leading EIA case on cumulative impact).
Frank has a number of particular specialisms including utilities issues where he advises on wayleaves and compensation issues; minerals and the application of the Mining Code; ROMPs (Reviews of Old Mineral Permissions); ratings law and valuation; noise issues at the overlap between planning and nuisance; aspects of planning enforcement including discontinuance; and air quality and climate change policy.