Environment and Planning

We provide strategic advice to ensure project sustainability and commercial success, from environmental assessments and approvals to managing contaminated land, litigation and regulatory investigations.

How we can help

Our Environment and Planning team excels in advising on complex infrastructure and development projects across Australia. We navigate the evolving planning and environmental regulatory framework to meet your commercial objectives and environmental responsibilities and protect your social licence to operate.

We bring deep expertise across all aspects on environment and planning law. These include environmental impact assessments and approvals strategy, planning and environmental law advice, litigation, submissions and stakeholder engagement, contaminated land, regulatory investigations and compliance, director and parent company liability, land access rights, due diligence and compulsory acquisition.

From site acquisition and rezoning, to obtaining approvals, compliance and asset divestment, we can advise at every stage. Having successfully delivered projects in waste and resource recovery, renewable energy, energy and resources, infrastructure, oil and gas, commercial, residential and industrial, agribusiness and telecommunications, we have a strong track record across all sectors.

Services

Australia’s complex environment and planning regulatory framework is constantly changing. Our pragmatic and strategic advice navigates all aspects for a positive outcome.

Compulsory acquisitions

Assistance with valuation disputes, compensation negotiations and ensuring compliance with acquisition processes.

Contaminated land

Advice on approval strategies to remediate and redevelop contaminated land, contamination liability, regulatory investigations and complex contamination indemnity agreements.

Environmental obligations

Advice on biodiversity, financial assurance, decommissioning, heritage, native vegetation and material agreements to implement major projects.

Planning and environmental approvals

Advice on environmental assessment and planning approvals for projects across sectors including waste, renewable energy, infrastructure and oil and gas.

Pollution incidents and compliance

Handling regulatory investigations and prosecutions, compliance strategies and advice on director and parent company liability.

Waste and resource recovery

Resolving complex waste regulatory issues, advising on approval and compliance strategies for waste projects and handling environmental liabilities in large-scale waste asset transactions.

Environment and Planning experience

Dunmore Lang College

On the compulsory acquisition by Transport for NSW of part of its land at Macquarie University for the Macquarie Park Bus Priority and Capacity Improvement Project.

Transmetro Corporation

On the compulsory acquisition by Transport for NSW of a CBD Metro Hotel for the Sydney Metro Project.

Affinity Education Group

On the Central Coast Council’s proposed compulsory acquisition of part of its land used for a childcare centre in Woy Woy for a road widening project.

Altis Property

On compensation implications arising from any proposed acquisition by the NSW Government of target land at Luddenham subject to an option to purchase.

Specialty Fashion Group

On the compulsory acquisition by Transport for NSW of part of its land at Alexandria for the Sydney Metro Line.

KFC Yum! Brands

On Transport for NSW proposed compulsory acquisition of one of its stores for the Sydney Metro Line.

Starwood

On its joint venture with Logos to acquire Qenos from Chemchina, involving complex environmental risks, historical contamination, insolvency issues, and redevelopment of contaminated sites in NSW and Victoria.

GrainCorp

On regulatory investigations of contamination issues at its port facilities across Australia.

Orica

On contamination risks arising from the $750 million sale of its chemicals business in Australia.

Vitol

On contamination risks associated with its $2.9 billion acquisition of Shell’s Australian downstream business.

Cleanaway

On a regulation investigation of contamination issues at its waste facility in NSW and strategy for the redevelopment of contaminated land.

A major waste company

On a third-party claim regarding the alleged supply of asbestos-contaminated building materials used in construction.

Hydro

On voluntary planning agreement and biodiversity certification agreements for its Kurri Kurri Aluminium Smelter redevelopment project.

Hanwha Energy

On a voluntary planning agreement for its Jindera Solar Farm in NSW.

Jadestone Energy

On financial assurance and decommissioning issues for its offshore oil and gas projects.

Jemena

On financial assurance issues associated with its former Hamilton gasworks remediation project.

Telstra

On biodiversity and land access issues associated with its telecommunications infrastructure projects across Australia.

Dahua

On a voluntary planning agreement for its master planned residential community projects in NSW.

Bingo

On planning and environmental approvals strategy in relation to various waste facilities.

Alinta Energy

On approvals strategy for its Yandin Wind Farm and Transmission Line Projects.

Ausgrid

On planning and environmental approvals strategy and land access issues for electricity distribution projects in NSW.

Cleanaway

On approvals strategy for its Kooragang Island Waste Facility and Lucas Heights Waste Facility.

Vast Solar

On approvals strategies for solar and battery energy storage system projects.

Neptune Energy

On approvals strategies for offshore oil and gas projects in Australia.

Healthscope

On planning and environmental issues associated with the development of the $1 billion Northern Beaches Hospital Project in NSW.

Macquarie Group

On approvals strategy for the Metro Martin Place Project.

Sydney Ports Corporation

On planning approvals and litigation regarding its Port Botany Expansion Project and Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre Project.

NSW Health Infrastructure

On approvals strategy for its Liverpool Hospital Redevelopment.

Jemena

On approvals strategy and land access issues associated with the Port Kembla Lateral Pipeline Project.

Lendlease

On approvals strategy for its Yarrabilba Residential Project.

Bingo

On application of NSW Waste to Energy regulatory framework to proposed activities, and planning and environmental approvals strategy for various waste facilities.

Acciona

On planning and environmental approvals and compliance strategy for its Kwinana Waste to Energy Project.

Cleanaway

On its acquisition of Suez’s Australian waste assets, and approvals strategy for its Kooragang Island Waste Facility and Lucas Heights Waste Facility.

Tellus Holdings

On approvals strategy for its Sandy Ridge Kaolin Mine Project and Blue Bush Project.

Remondis

On its acquisition of Thiess’ waste assets, and approvals strategy for its Camellia Integrated Recycling Park Project.

NSW Treasury

On various environmental issues in relation to the $235 million privatisation of WSN Environmental Solutions, the state-owned landfill and waste company.

Ardent Leisure

On the EPA’s prosecution of a pollution incident at its Rushcutters Bay Marina.

Elecnor

On a regulatory investigation of alleged heritage and vegetation clearance incidents.

Ferrycarrig

On a regulatory investigation of alleged waste disposal incidents.

Origin Energy

On a regulatory investigation of compliance issues at a Wind Farm in NSW.

BlueScope

On regulatory investigations of alleged pollution incidents at its Port Kembla Steelworks.

Mainstream Recycling

On regulatory investigations of alleged waste compliance issues.

Awards