Vicky Fowler
Vicky Fowler is a well respected planning lawyer recognised nationally for her expertise. Vicky has been recognised in the top rated lawyer list in the Planning magazine and she appears as a Super Lawyer. Vicky is also recognised as a leading or recommended individual in the legal directories with accolades that describe her as "efficient and client friendly" and "a thoughtful and incisive lawyer who has great capacity". Commentators also find her "very good at leading teams through relentlessly long, difficult and controversial processes."
Vicky leads both public sector and private clients proactively through all stages of the planning process, from strategic advice on masterplanning, to advising on the consenting process and securing and the granting of planning permission. Vicky's focus is on delivering solutions rather than problems, mitigating the risk of legal challenge and ensuring that the consents secured are both implementable and fundable. Having secured consent Vicky advises clients on implementation, including the use of compulsory purchase powers for land assembly, securing or granting the necessary highway consents or stopping-up orders, negotiating s278 Highway Agreements and advising on Community Infrastructure Levy.
Vicky is frequently engaged by clients on high-profile and complex matters, including nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) and the promotion of development consent orders (DCOs) for energy and highway schemes. Vicky has experience of working across the Living sector whether that be homes for sale or purpose built homes for rent; extra care and retirement living, hotels and co-living or student accommodation.
Experience
Advised Bracknell Council on all aspects of the comprehensive redevelopment of Bracknell Town Centre. Work included advising on the planning, drafting and negotiating the section 106 agreement and highways agreements, and advising on the CPO strategy. Vicky also advised on the implementation of the CPO, service of general vesting declarations, notices to treat and settlement of compensation claims.
Advised Legal and General Strategic Land in relation to securing planning permission from the Vale of Glamorgan council for a 45-acre industrial estate off Port Road including advice on environmental impact assessment and judicial review.
Advised U+I on the planning aspects for the creation of a new mixed use quarter on Greenwich Peninsula – a £778 million developing comprising 1,500 new homes, 200,000 sq ft commercial a new public park, retail and community uses.
Advised Royal London on all planning-related matters in respect of a number of development sites including: the development of Capitol Way in Brent; a multi-phased large residential development with a satellite commercial development site; Soho Square which is an office redevelopment, Castlewood House and Medius House which is a mixed office, retail and residential development; office redevelopment at Trafalgar Buildings and Holborn Viaduct.
Advised on the strategy for securing planning permission for the UK's first consented Gigafactory on a green belt site at Coventry Airport including consideration of a commercial NSIP. The 530,000m2 West Midlands Gigafactory site is ideally located at the heart of the UK's automotive sector and is closer to almost every car manufacturing plant than any of the other proposed Gigafactory in the UK and involves 2.5 billion investment.
Advised on the planning application for the University of Cambridge's award winning new residential and campus development at North West Cambridge. This project is being developed on the University's land and has been designed to meet highest eco-standards. The project will deliver 100,000 sq m of research facilities and development space for multinational market leaders. On completion, the 150 hectare site will include 3,000 homes and accommodation for 2,000 post-graduate students, with one-third open space for sports, informal recreation and ecological use.
Advised Thames Water Utilities and Bazalgette Tunnel Limited on the land acquisition strategy for the Thames Tideway Tunnel the largest NSIP yet consented under the Planning Act 2008. Vicky advised on the compulsory acquisition and temporary possession of land, highways and navigation issues.
Vicky advised on the development of the Olympic site, including all venues and stadia, transport facilities and highways - in particular settling the planning application (including the environmental statement) and negotiations on the s106 legal agreement in the context of the limited five year timescale available.