Toni Weston

Toni Weston is one of the UK's leading lawyers practising planning law. She is recognised nationally for her expertise and consistently highly ranked in legal directories.

Toni advises on all aspects of planning, development consent, compulsory purchase and highways law. She is highly experienced in delivering major projects, with particular emphasis on working with public bodies to deliver infrastructure and regeneration projects. Her experience includes strategic advice on plan making, master planning, legal review of planning applications, strategy and advice on securing consent for scheme changes, drafting and negotiating section 106 and highways agreements, advising on planning conditions, promotion of and defending Compulsory Purchase Orders, Transport and Works Act Orders, Stopping–Up Orders; conducting planning and CPO inquiries and DCO examinations, advice on promoting and defending High Court planning actions and carrying out due diligence reviews on planning and infrastructure applications and consents.

Experience

  • Acting as lead legal advisor to National Highways on securing the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Development Consent Order 2020 and the M54 to M6 Link Road Development Consent Order 2022. Toni advised on all aspects of the applications and Examination process. She led on drafting the DCOs and Explanatory Memorandums, in preparing written responses to representations and written questions, as advocate at the Examination hearings and in concluding legal agreements with landowners and local authorities for early acquisitions by agreement and to resolve objections.
  • Acting for Transport for London for over 18 years, as the main point of contact for all highway instructions. Toni manages and updates TfL's highway precedents and regularly advises TfL on the use of its highway, planning and compulsory purchase powers, including in respect of the negotiation of section 106 agreements, making and implementation of CPOs, settlement of compensation claims and the conclusion of agreements where TfL's own assets are affected by a third party DCO or CPO.
  • Advising South Tees Development Corporation on the successful making, confirmation and implementation of its first CPO to deliver the regeneration of 800 acres of land comprising the former Redcar Steel Works.
  • Advising a consortium of landowners and housebuilders on a development to deliver 3,000 new homes in Hampshire, including drafting and negotiating the terms of a Section 106 Agreement with numerous local authorities and landowners to secure a complex package of mitigation measures.
  • Bloor Homes on a planning application and appeal, including negotiation of a Section 106 Unilateral Undertaking, to secure consent for up to 1,080 new homes at Sandleford Park, Newbury, Berkshire.
  • Acting for the Greater London Authority in connection with the first use of the Mayor's CPO powers to acquire land to facilitate the regeneration of Southall Gasworks to deliver up to 3,500 new homes. Toni's advice included advising on the interpretation and application of compulsory purchase legislation (including the acquisition of open space land), securing the necessary Mayoral approvals and completion of a promotion and indemnity agreement with the developer.
  • Successfully advised IM Properties Developments on securing all necessary planning and highway related consents for a major new employment park on a 240-acre site in Leicestershire