Laws and policies governing the built and natural environment are in a constant state of change, driven by increasing urbanisation, concerns over climate change, the growing importance of renewable energy sources and a push to streamline the planning process over three tiers of government.

Expertise and experience

CBP’s Planning & Environment Team has extensive experience in all aspects of planning and environmental law, providing advice and services to a diverse group of entities within the public and private sectors, including:

• State Significant Development, State Significant Infrastructure and former Part 3A projects under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act)
• development applications before councils, Joint Regional Planning Panels, and the Planning Assessment Commission; exempt development and complying development
• land contamination and remediation, site audits and voluntary management proposals
• directors’ duties and liabilities
• developer contributions and voluntary planning agreements
• interpretation and impact of environmental planning instruments (LEPs, SEPPs), development control plans and policies
• critical habitat and the operation of threatened species conservation legislation both State and Federal level
• heritage and native title law
• environmental audits, due diligence, governance and risk management and environmental impact assessment
• land use and development potential assessment
• policy advice and legislative amendments
• pollution, environmental protection licences, waste management and offences
• regulatory compliance and enforcement
• existing use rights
• compulsory acquisition
• natural resource management, including water, vegetation and coastal management
• climate change and emissions trading 

Dispute resolution

CBP’s Planning & Environment Team also has extensive experience in all avenues of planning and environment disputes, including:

• merit appeals against refusals and deemed refusals of development applications and modification applications
• challenges to conditions of consent
• declaratory relief and applications for judicial review of local and State government determinations
• challenges to compensation and valuation determinations
• challenges to compulsory acquisition
• acting on defended prosecutions
• easement disputes

Firm-wide depth 

The Planning & Environment Team also draws on expertise across the firm in the fields of construction, property, insurance, finance and commercial law, to provide an overall service to local government authorities, property developers, builders, planning consultants, engineers, architects, retailers, resource and manufacturing companies, and infrastructure providers.