Bevan Brittan - People

Property, Planning and Construction
Partner

Karen is Bevan Brittan�s Head of Planning and Regeneration and has advised on a wide variety of high profile development and infrastructure projects.

The 2007 edition of Legal 500 notes that Karen is a �Frighteningly clever, ruthless defender of clients�

�Has an infectious passion about everything that she does� Chambers UK, A Client�s Guide to the Legal Profession 2006

My Background
Trained/qualified 1987-93 Winckworth and Pemberton, qualified: 1989.1993-96: Freshfields: 1996-2004: Masons: Head of Public Law (planning, environment, highways, health and safety etc.) Joined Bevan Ashford as a partner April 2004. Partner, Bevan Brittan LLP 2004-.

What I do
My background in property, housing, transport, planning, environment and public/private partnership work has given me a range of skills which enable me to co-ordinate the firm�s Regeneration initiative. This necessarily requires many different disciplines to be employed in order to deliver sustainable communities.

In my planning work, I specialise in the delivery of major residential and mixed use schemes on brownfield land and in relation to affordable housing. My recent projects have focused on tall buildings, new settlements and environmental impact assessment.

I have worked on many different types of project including infrastructure schemes, mines and minerals matters plus retail and residential developments. My clients have included multinational corporations, funding institutions, developers, public authorities and project companies.

I am particularly experienced in the devising of strategies for obtaining planning and environmental consents for complex or controversial projects

Some examples

Potters Fields, Southwark (Berkeley Homes) Advising on all aspects of the planning strategy for this major scheme which received planning consent in February 2006. This includes the preparation of an environmental statement and other submissions, representations on the Southwark SPGs and s106 issues as well as an innovative mechanism for the delivery of affordable housing in circumstances where the Council, as landowner, refused to participate in the s106.

St George Wharf, Vauxhall (St. George South London) Redevelopment scheme for large brownfield site adjoining Vauxhall Bridge with complex planning history, for scheme including both private and affordable housing, riverside walkway, hotel, offices, leisure highways improvements and public transport provision including a pier for a river bus service. Advised on the application for a 50 storey Vauxhall Tower which will be Europe�s tallest residential building after receiving planning consent in July 2005.

Imperial Wharf (St. George South London) Redevelopment of contaminated 38 acre Thames-side former gas works site for 1650 residential units (47% of which are affordable housing), public open space including riverside walkway, a railway station and river moorings, hotel and leisure facilities, offices and retail. I worked very closely with the client on all planning and environmental issues relating to the development.

Chatham Maritime (City Loft) Chatham Maritime is South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)'s biggest development project with over �400million of public and private sector investment so far. Residential and mixed use property developer City Loft are working with SEEDA and Medway Borough Council on a variety of residential, community and other uses.

Sherford New Community (Devon) Working for South Hams District Council, Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council to ensure the establishment of a sustainable community that will be more than just a dormitory overspill own extension.

Contact me via karen.cooksley@bevanbrittan.com or via 0870 194 7950.

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