Planning & Environment Law

Our Practice

Planning and environment law is both complex and constantly changing. We are able to assist our clients by indentifying their legal obligations in a practical common sense way. Our staff recognise that planning and environment law does not exist in a vacuum and when providing advice we take into account (where relevant to our clients' commercial obligations) development timetables and public and political issues.

We act for developers as well as those people who may be affected by proposed development. We have extensive contacts throughout the development industry and we regularly assist in forming and working on teams which often play an important part in planning and environment law.

Our Expertise

• town planning appeals to the Planning and Environment Court including appeals relating to industrial, commercial (including motels and shopping centres) and residential developments
• due diligence and advice on development entitlements
• advice on the impact of planning schemes and the obligations under the relevant town planning legislation
• advice on the impact of regional planning requirements
• preparation of development applications
• the structure planning and master planning frameworks
• infrastructure agreements and the infrastructure charging provisions of the relevant legislation and instruments, including State Planning Policies and State Planning Regulatory Provisions
• issues and responsibilities under the environmental legislation including environmental licensing and preparation and implementation of environmental management plans
• advice on environmental impact assessment including assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservations Act
• advice on contaminated land issues including remediation and removal of land from the environmental management register
• environmental prosecution and advice
• advice on noise restrictions and setback requirements
• downstream discharge obligations of owners
• preparation of town planning objections and negotiations in relation to the amendment of proposed developments
• vegetation clearing and management
• koala conservation, including under the Koala Conservation SPRP and SPP
• advice on development approvals including preliminary approvals for large scale developments
• drafting planning instruments
• development offences including prosecution and defences

Our firm and its staff are known for their extensive experience in the development of master planned communities, having written Queensland's first planning and infrastructure agreement for the Robina Town Centre on Queensland's Gold Coast, the planning instrument and infrastructure agreements for North Lakes, another major Master Planned Community just north of Brisbane, and assisting Lend Lease in the preparation of the infrastructure agreement for the St Mary's ADI Site in Sydney. The firm has also provided advice to the developers of a number of other master planned communities in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and North Queensland, and is currently providing advice to the developers of three (3) new proposed master planned communities.

Our Legal Team

Please refer your enquiries to:

Matthew Shannon	| Partner
Christine O'Neill	| Associate