Matthew is a partner in the firm's Real Estate division and is Head of Planning in London. He is also joint lead partner for the EMEA Real Estate sector at the firm and is responsible for client relationship and thought leadership initiatives to grow the firm's cross-practice real estate sector expertise.
Matthew has 25 years of experience of planning across all aspects of contentious and non-contentious planning and development law, including the preparation and negotiation of planning applications and planning agreements, strategic advice on large-scale regeneration, energy and infrastructure projects, environmental impact assessment, compulsory purchase, community infrastructure levy, judicial review and planning inquiries. He has acted on many high-profile and politically sensitive projects throughout his career.
Matthew is a member of the City of London Law Society Planning and Environmental Law Committee, a Trustee of the Campaign for Better Transport, a member of the British Property Federation's Planning Committee, a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He regularly contributes to Herbert Smith Freehills' UK real estate development blog.
Matthew is listed in the Legal 500 UK "Hall of Fame" and is one of only two lawyers to be identified as a “Star Individual” for planning law in London in Chambers UK.
Matthew's experience includes advising:
- British Land on securing planning permission for the Canada Water Masterplan, the first new town centre in London for a generation and the largest planning permission ever granted by the London Borough of Southwark
- Brockton Everlast on securing planning permission from the Secretary of State for the redevelopment of Newcombe House in Notting Hill following a major public inquiry
- London & Continental Railways on the Stratford City and King's Cross metropolitan regeneration projects in London, including securing planning permission for the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre and the Olympic Village
- Greater London Authority and The Silvertown Partnership jointly on securing planning permission for Silvertown Quays, a docklands regeneration scheme in London
- Madison Square Garden on MSG Sphere London in Stratford, including site acquisition and planning advice
- Wisley Property Investment Limited in relation to its proposals to redevelop the former Wisley Airfield within the Surrey Green Belt
- British Land and GIC on their ongoing revitalisation and redevelopment of the Broadgate campus in the City of London.
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